The Everblack Bible
by Random1377
Summary: Post-game fic (good ending timeline). Alice, Yuri, and Margarete embark on a quest to find a troublesome little book known as the Everblack Bible... but they aren't the only ones looking. COMPLETE
1. Starting Out

Disclaimer:  the rights to the game _Shadow Hearts_ are owned by Midway games.  Should they, or any of their affiliated companies or employees, request it, this not-for-profit fanfiction piece will be deleted from any web site it is posted on and removed from my hard drive.  Thank you.

The Everblack Bible

Verse 1

Starting Out

By Random1377

Margarete Gertrude Zelle glanced up from where she had been stirring the fire's embers and grinned mischievously at her traveling companion.  "My, my," she winked as the man walked up to her, "you two certainly aren't shy, are you?"

Yuri Hyuga looked blank, then gave her a sour glare.  "Oh you're a real scream," he muttered, instantly regretting his choice of words.

"Well from what I heard, _she's_ the screamer," Margarete said, eyes wide and innocent, "I hope you didn't hurt-"__

"Knock it off," Yuri grumbled, throwing himself on the hard earth by Margarete's feet and lacing his hands behind his head, "she was having a bad dream and I went in to make sure she was ok – we're not… we don't…" he growled with frustration, wishing there was a better way to say what he wanted to say.   "We weren't _doing_ it, ok??"

"Poor you," Margarete said sweetly, "but ummm… how long was this dream of hers, 'cuz by my watch, you were in there for a good hour."

"Sh-shut up," Yuri stammered, "we were just talking!"

"But I thought she was asleep," Margarete teased.

Yuri gave up.  "Fine, fine," he muttered angrily, "I just… like to watch her sleep sometimes, ok?  God – you're worse than Halley with all these damn questions!  And you better keep this to yourself, you understand?  She already thinks I'm a pervert…"

"Aww!" Margarete clasped her hands, trying to keep a straight face as she gushed, "watching your little girlfriend sleep – that is so _SWEET!!"_

"Shut up!!"

"Hey, it's not my fault you 'accidentally' walked in on her in the shower at the last hotel," Margarete laughed, "Good heavens, sonny boy, you've been traveling together over a year now!  When are you finally going to-"

"What I don't understand," Yuri grated, rolling over and rising to his knees to loom over the older woman, "is why you won't just drop it!  And don't call me 'sonny boy' – I'm not _that_ young!"

Margarete puckered.  "Ooo, so forceful," she hummed, pretending to shiver, "you gonna make me regret saying it, you big strong man, you?"

Yuri blanched.  "Cut it out!" he protested – rather weakly – as the woman suddenly leaned into his personal space and blew in his ear.  "I… I mean it!!"

In his mind, he could hear her voice, whispering, **_"I wouldn't mind traveling with him for a while… no, wait… forget I said that."_ through the thin mesh of the confessional in Rouen.**

"Don't hurt me," Margarete mock-whispered, very close to laughing at the boy's agitation… but also feeling the slightest thrill of exhilaration.  "I'll do whatever you say – just don't hurt me, sir."  When he shivered, her voice lowered still further, losing just a bit of its teasing quality.  "So big and strong… mmmm – I'll bet you'd just love to pin-"

"Hey, what are you guys doing?"

Yuri and Margarete sprang apart as Alice Elliot, their other traveling companion, made her way into the dim light of the fire.  "Umm, n-nothing!" Yuri said quickly, praying that the young woman really _was as bleary as she seemed to be.  "We were just, um-"_

"Planning our next stop," Margarete jumped in, dropping Yuri a wink and blowing him a kiss as Alice closed her eyes and yawned, "Yuri wants to go back to London and check on Halley and the kids, but I was saying we should swing by Bistritz first and pick up Keith – I'm sure he's just about bored to tears by now."

'Thank you,' Yuri mouthed, looking clearly relieved.

Margarete took great pleasure in mouthing back, 'Pay me later.'

Teasing the young man was far too much fun to pass on… though in all honesty, it was getting harder and harder to pretend that she was not serious.

The smile ran away from Margarete's face, however, as she noticed the far-off, troubled expression Alice wore.  "What's wrong?" she asked softly, rising to her feet and letting her hand drop to the butt of her pistol as she followed the younger woman's line of sight.  "Is something out there?"

Even after the destruction of the Float, and Albert Simon's defeat, there were still monsters roaming Europe's lush, rolling countryside, so wariness was definitely not uncommon for seasoned travelers – especially those traveling with an exorcist and a harmonixer.

Alice blinked and shook her head.  "N-no," she said, blushing faintly as the older woman studied her, "I just… I think we need to get to London."

Yuri and Margarete exchanged a glance.  "I knew she'd take your side," Margarete mumbled, trying to lighten the suddenly heavy mood.

"What's in London?" Yuri asked, ignoring Margarete for the moment.  "Alice…?"

Alice shook her head again, bringing her attention to his face with some difficulty.  "Koudelka," she said, so flatly that Margarete and Yuri exchanged another glance.  After a long stretch of silence, Alice put her right hand on her head and sighed.  "Sorry," she whispered, rubbing her temple with a pained look, "I'm just… I dreamed that Koudelka was calling me, but it was faint – like she was far, far away."

"I didn't hear anything," Yuri said uneasily.

Koudelka, or rather – Koudelka's voice – was the reason they were where they were at that point.  Yuri had heard her voice in his mind for several years before meeting Alice, and at Koudelka's prompting, had been compelled to protect the pretty blonde exorcist.  He had not heard her voice in his mind since rescuing her from the depths of the Calios mental hospital. And being as how it was usually a painful experience, due to the voices of the demons bound to his soul, that was just fine by him.

"I heard you screaming," Margarete observed quietly, "That's about it."

Alice glanced at Yuri, her blush returning as she gave him a timid smile.  "Y-yeah," she said quickly, "I umm, Koudelka was trying to tell me something, and I could see her, you know?  But… but then something burst into the room she was in, and everything went black."  Her blush intensified.  "I woke up screaming, and… and Yuri was there, and…" she trailed off.

Margarete looked from one to the other, sensing that there was something being left unspoken… but tactfully deciding to keep the focus on Alice's dream.  "So if she really was trying to contact you," she said carefully, "we should start moving now, shouldn't we?  I mean, I don't know much about spirits and stuff – besides what I've learned with you guys, I mean – but I figure we should get a move on."

"It… might have just been a dream," Alice said reluctantly, "it really wasn't like any of the other times she's talked to me… so it might have been just a dream."

"Better safe than sorry and all that," Yuri said coolly, "pack up – it's not that far to London.  I figure we can get there in three days."

"Three days," Alice bit her lip, "it's too bad we don't have a motorcar."

"I think we could arrange one," Margarete said, scratching her chin with an almost too-casual air, "give me two hours."

Alice was on the verge of asking, 'Legally?' when Yuri caught her eye and gave her a minute shake of his head.  "That would be great," she said with forced lightness, "should we just wait here?"

"Heh," Margarete laughed, cracking her knuckles.  "Finally!  Yeah, I'll be back before you know it!"  With a hasty goodbye, she scrambled to her feet and dashed off into the darkness.

Alice and Yuri regarded one another for a moment in silence.  "So," Yuri said slowly, stuffing his hands into his pockets and turning away from her glittering blue eyes, "just you and me, huh?"

"Uh huh," Alice nodded, taking a step closer to him, "all alone… just like the first time we met."  She laughed nervously, "In fact… I think this is the first time we've really been alone since we met."

Yuri looked up at the sky.  "Full moon," he observed lamely, "was there a full moon that night?"

"I think so," Alice said, taking another hesitant step, "Yuri, I-"

"It's been great," Yuri blurted suddenly, keeping his back to her as he struggled for words, "you know, traveling with you and stuff."

"You like fighting demons?" Alice asked, quirking one eyebrow up and taking one last step closer.

"Well, not that part," Yuri admitted, scratching the back of his head, "but being with you, and… God, I don't know how to-"

He cut himself off as he felt a soft, tentative touch on the back of his hand.  He turned to find Alice smiling warmly at him, the tips of her fingers resting lightly on his skin as a faint blush graced her cheeks.  "I understand," she said simply, "and… it's the same for me…"

Yuri averted his eyes.  "Yeah," he whispered, looking back up to the moon, unable to do more than just stand and breathe for fear of breaking the moment.  Once, in Nementon… she had almost told him she loved him – but since then they had been no closer than familiar traveling companions, or (at the most) old friends, and for the life of him, Yuri simply did not know how to get them back to that point.

He never had been good with stuff like that.

As for herself, Alice felt like she was walking a tightrope.  She knew that Yuri liked her, and sometimes, when they were alone for more than a few minutes, she caught him looking at her in such a way as to suggest that it was more than that… she just did not know how _much more.  _I can wait, though,_ she thought contentedly, _if you're there when I wake, and I can just… hold your hand like this – I can wait as long as it takes, Yuri.  I promise.__

She blushed as she recalled that he _was there when the terrified look on Koudelka's face had sent her screaming into consciousness, leaving her disoriented and dazed in her own tent.  And then, somehow… she had been in his arms, her shivers slowly subsiding as he stroked her hair and awkwardly whispered, 'It's ok… it was just a dream… it's ok, Alice…'_

"It's a nice night," Alice offered timidly, wondering if she should try twining her fingers with his, or if that would be pushing her luck.

Yuri nodded but said nothing, and she sighed, almost pulling her hand away, then simply leaving it where it was and looking up at his profile to see if she could gauge his mood.  When a faint hint of red tinged his cheeks, and he leaned back slightly, letting more of her hand touch his… she slowly leaned her head on his shoulder, and gingerly clasped his hand in hers, letting her eyes drift closed for a moment and simply savoring this brief moment of closeness, trying not to wonder how much it meant to him.

Neither of them noticed the pair of brilliant green eyes watching them from the tree line… and there was no way they could have heard the softly whispered, half sad, half amused, 'Kids,' that drifted on the soft breeze before the eyes' owner finally slipped off into the night.

**

In the dark hills surrounding London, England, two figures stood gazing up at the stars.  One, a tall, dapper looking gentlemen with black hair and eyes, the other a slight, fair-haired man with watery blue ones.  They had said nothing for some time, seemingly intent on the noises of the word around them, but the silence was broken finally as a third figure staggered into the clearing they occupied, its visage coated with blood and gore.

"M-master," it growled, its misshapen snout uttering the word with much difficulty.

"The deed is done, then?" the taller of the two men asked, unconcerned by the creature's sudden appearance and ragged, inhuman features.

"N-no, master," the creature whined, "I-"

"Your excuses do not interest me," the tall man yawned with an air of clear boredom, "I have no use for them, or subordinates that cannot complete simple tasks."

In spite of its monstrous appearance – replete with thickly muscled, powerful limbs and wickedly curved, keen-as-knives talons… the creature whimpered.  "M-mercy," it howled, the sound echoing through the hills like the wail of a lost child, "Master… mercy… please…"

The shorter man cast his eyes back to the stars as the taller man raised his hand, palm first, towards the creature.  There was a terrible rushing sound, reminiscent of a powerful wind blowing through a stand of trees in late fall, and when the shorter man looked down once more, there was but a pile of ash to mark where the creature had stood mere moments before.

"Wasteful," he croaked, his voice weak and tremulous.

"It was not a complex undertaking," the taller man said smoothly, "four Doomhounds should have been _more than sufficient."_

"Not for this woman," the shorter man coughed, covering his mouth with a look of supreme distaste, "and you, yourself were not able to fully shield her."

"Mmmm," the taller man hummed nonchalantly, "she _has_ grown a touch more powerful since last we met… do you think I should send her more hounds?"

The shorter man shook his head wearily.  "I would not waste the time," he sighed, "from all you have said of her, and what she has done tonight, it would merely inconvenience her and draw unwanted attention to us.  No, it would be better to wait for the next act to play itself out, my good man."

"I see the wisdom in that," the taller man agreed, smiling brightly, "then perhaps we should take in a show over the weekend?  I understand that there is a lovely burlesque just opening up on old Church Street."

The irony of this statement was not lost on the smaller man, and he chuckled weakly.  "You are incorrigible as always," he said, his whispery voice barely carrying through the night air.  "Very well… but come Monday, I believe it would be best to be done with this business.  There must be no obstacles."

"But of course," the taller man bowed sweepingly.  "Until then."

The smaller man sighed as his companion vanished, a soft gust of displaced air the only marker for his passing.  "Perhaps we should extend an invitation to our young friends to join us," he mused to the quiet hill.  "Yes… yes I think that would be most entertaining."  Folding his arms across his back, he made his way down the hill, glancing up at the full moon above with a thin, sardonic smile.  "Koudelka Iasant and Alice Elliot," he whispered softly, "the keys of darkness and light, swinging into play once more."  His smile grew.

"Oh yes… this could prove quite interesting indeed."

Continued…

Author's notes: well there's part 1 of my first gamefic!  Kind of a departure from anime fanfiction, I admit, but hopefully enjoyable nonetheless.  Any anime fans our there might notice that the word 'Everblack' is a little familiar – this is because I 'borrowed' it from _Starship Girl Yamamoto Yohko.  *shrug* hey, it just sounded too cool to pass on, and too fitting not to associate with something as dark as __Shadow Hearts.  ^_^  What __is the Everblack Bible, and what, exactly, happened to Koudelka?  Well, stick around for chapter 2, if you'd like, and I'll fill you in. :D_

Big pre-read thanks going out to Aegis.  Couldn't have done it without you, my good lady… hope you like the rest. ^_^

Feedback is always welcome at random1377@yahoo.com 


	2. Old Friends and Sudden Storms

Disclaimer: see verse 1.

The Everblack Bible

Verse 2

Old Friends and Sudden Storms

By Random1377

Alice rubbed her backside with a pained expression, giving the forest green motorcar a dark look as she climbed out of its sparse interior and dropped to the ground by its side.  "We should have walked," she lamented grimly, accepting her bible from Yuri as he climbed out after her.  "Why is it that traveling with her always feels more like sticking your tongue out at an angry bull?"

"I heard that," Margarete said cheerfully, "Hey, don't I always get us where we're going in one piece?"

Yuri made a face.  "More or less," he muttered, "but I can't say the same for the vehicles you choose."

Margarete looked hurt.  "How can you say that?" she pouted, patting the car's fender – and catching it as it detached and headed earthward.  "I leave things in the same condition I found them!"

"Can you find something that's not about to fall apart next time, then?" Yuri grumbled, trying to work a kink out of his neck.  "Lord," he sighed, "at least we weren't in the air this time."

"How long are you going to hold that against me?!" Margarete complained, slamming the car door three times before it stuck.  "You're going to hurt my feelings, sonny boy."

"Nice car!  Can we ride in it!?"

The trio looked up as a quartet of children rushed up to them.  "Hey kids," Margarete called, ruffling the hair of the youngest boy… and putting her hand discretely on the pocket containing her wallet.

Or rather, the pocket that _should have contained it._

"Gotcha!" the boy cried gleefully, handing the wallet out to her.  "You guys are _too easy!!"_

"Settle down, Josh," the tallest boy muttered, "you're embarrassing us."

"Hey Halley," Yuri nodded, holding his hand out to the boy, "you all look like you're doing ok.  Business picking up?  …so to speak?"

"I sent you a letter," Halley Iasant sighed, clasping Yuri's hand in his and pumping it up and down with a _bit too much enthusiasm, "didn't you get it?"_

Yuri frowned, then brightened.  "Oh yeah!  Now I remember."

Margarete rolled her eyes as the young man reached into his pocket and produced a battered – and clearly unopened – envelope, the postmark on it dating back three weeks.  "Remind me not to write you any love letters," she muttered.

"Hey!" Alice exclaimed, "This is addressed to me too!  Why didn't you tell me??"

Yuri shrugged, looking wholly embarrassed.  "Forgot," he grumbled, "hey – I've got a lot on my mind!"

"Well, whatever," Halley grunted, "might as well just tell you, since you're here – but first things first," he lowered his voice and leaned closer to Yuri, "got some visitors a few nights ago, you know what I mean?"

"So it wasn't a dream," Alice breathed, "Is your mother ok?  I saw her, trying to call out to me, and, and – there was something behind her!  It was huge, and its teeth, and she-"

"Calm down," Halley hissed as several passersby stopped to glance at her, "you're making a scene… she's ok, but you guys should come to the hideout right now."

Alice blushed and quickly nodded, falling in step as Halley led them through London's streets, bringing them to a stop outside an old, rather rundown looking house.  Although, she noticed suddenly, it was not _quite_ as rundown as it used to be.

"Wow," she exclaimed, "you guys have really fixed the place up!"

Halley beamed.  "Three months is a long time," he said with some satisfaction, "not too bad for a handful of kids, huh?"

Yuri nodded approvingly.  "New shutters, new windows, did some painting – and you've even got some grass coming up in that messed up lot!  Nice."

Halley grabbed his arm as he started for the back of the house.  "We can use the door now," he said dryly, jerking a thumb at the front as the other three children laughed out loud, "but Mom said she wanted to see Alice alone – if you guys showed up."  He shook his head ruefully.  "She's so funny sometimes – like she wants to pretend we're normal or something… but I knew that she knew you were coming, I don't know why she wanted to hide it from me."

"Mothers are like that," Alice laughed, "I'm sure she didn't want to worry you, especially after…" her laughter faded, "after the attack."

Halley snorted.  "Compared to some of the stuff we faced, it was nothing," he said boldly, "just… it was a good thing I was with her, you know?"

Alice patted his shoulder.  "You're a good boy," she said warmly.

A bright blush lit Halley's cheeks.  "Yeah, yeah," he muttered, "get in there."

**

Koudelka paced back and forth, her long black dress swishing as she clasped her hands behind her back.  _I knew it was a matter of time,_ she thought grimly, _four, they sent!  It must be him – it can only be him._

She sighed, coming to a stop in front of one of the room's big bay windows.  "Raining," she mused softly, "it wasn't raining a minute ago."  Her eyes drifted closed as she recited, "'Sudden storms, like sudden love affairs, are the most destructive.'"

"Koudelka?"

Her eyes opened at the tentative call.  _I suppose we shall see just how destructive this storm is,_ she thought wearily.  "Come in."

Alice made her way into the room, frowning at the dark window behind the other woman.  "It wasn't raining a minute ago," she murmured, feeling a bit at a loss for words.

Koudelka smiled reassuringly.  "I was just thinking the same thing," she said smoothly, trying to allay the girl's nervousness.  "Are you well?"

"I'm fine," Alice said slowly, "but… are you?"

"I am," Koudelka nodded, "I had a little disagreement with a few… unsavory creatures a few nights back, but I think you know that, don't you?"

"You were trying to reach me," Alice said, relief flooding her as she saw that the other woman really was alright, "I couldn't hear you very well, though… I'm sorry."

Koudelka waved a hand.  "No need for apologies," she said lightly, "someone was shielding me, trying to keep me from making contact with you."

"So you knew you were going to be attacked?" Alice breathed, amazed at the other woman's calm.

"Actually, no," Koudleka chuckled, "they caught me off guard, you see, and in my panic, I cried out, remembering your kindness and willingness to help."  She sighed.  "The person that sent them must have known of my powers, though, as I felt as if my cry was passing through a heavy veil."

 "How did you beat them?" Alice wondered, glancing around the room and sucking in a deep breath as she noticed several gouges and a long burn on one wall.

"You've noticed," Koudelka said gravely, "yes, it happened right here.  I was reading some old gardening pamphlets, if you can believe that, when the door burst open and they came in."  Her eyes grew hazy.  "I was cornered, and outnumbered… and the leader of the creature's towered over me, saying, 'give us the bible, witch.'"

"The bible?" Alice asked, understanding immediately that there was more here than met the eye.

"Yes," Koudelka nodded, "but not the one you're thinking of."  She raised her hands quickly.  "I'll get to that.  Anyway, by this time I had gathered my wits and was ready to fight, but you don't just attack straight on when you're outnumbered, so I was just thinking up a way to stall them and figure out my strategy when Halley came up the stairs."  She chuckled weakly.  "He's… quite impressive, as I'm sure you know, and he did not stop to ask the creatures who sent them, he simply attacked.  They didn't have a chance."

"So you didn't get a chance to find out who sent them," Alice said quietly.

"No, but whoever it was had a great deal of power," Koudelka said slowly, "Not many men can bind the will of a creature as strong as a Doomhound, and there is only one bible I know of that would be of enough interest to draw the _attention of someone that powerful… the Everblack Bible."_

Alice frowned.  "The Everblack Bible," she repeated, wetting her lips and taking a deep breath to admit her ignorance.

"You've never heard of it," Koudelka said dryly, forestalling her admission, "don't worry, not many have.  But it is really quite the little tome."  She lowered her voice.  "And the only person I know of with the power and desire to find it goes by the name of David Jones."

"Jones," Alice mused, "I don't think I've ever heard of him, either."

"Not surprising," Koudelka nodded, "he tries to keep a low profile – but I think we should concentrate on finding the Bible and destroying it.  If we can do that, I don't think Jones will be too keen on bothering us… that bible is his passion."

"But, why would a Holy Bible be that dangerous?" Alice wondered curiously, "I've heard of some scholars that have more than a quarter of the Bible memorized – down to the passage and verse – so is there something about how it's written, or what it's written on?" 

"Oh the word 'bible' just means a book or collection of writings constituting the sacred text of a religion," Koudelka said quickly, "this isn't a _Christian_ bible by any means."

"So what religion is it for?" Alice asked uncertainly.  "Is it another of Bacon's one-hundred artifacts – like the Float?" 

Koudelka pursed her lips.  "I… I don't know," she admitted, "all I know is that it radiates a powerful, murky aura – like a deep, cloudy pool of water, hiding its contents in mystery and shadow.  And before you ask, no, I do not believe that the bible itself is inherently evil, but it _is_ a very powerful relic that could easily cause a great deal of harm if it finds its way into Jones's hands."

"Hmm," Alice hummed thoughtfully, "how will I know it when I find it?"

"You'll know it," Koudelka said gravely, "if you find it, you won't have any doubt in your mind."

"How are you so sure?"

Koudelka sighed.  "Because I've seen it myself," she said reluctantly, "while I was traveling the country after leaving Nemeton, I happened to stumble on it with my traveling companion."  She rubbed her eyes and looked out the window.  "It's a pure black book, about the size of a regular bible. It has no markings – at least, none I could see.  My companion, a man named Fletcher, said he could see a faint emblem on the cover, but for the life of me, I could not see it…"  She rested her forehead on the windowpane, her fingertips tracing a line of rain from the top to the bottom.  "Maybe if I had, I could have saved him."

"What happened?" Alice asked softly.

Koudelka continued to trace the patterns of rain on the window in silence for a moment before answering, "It consumed him."

"What??"

"I did some research on it after the accident," Koudelka mused, completely oblivious to Alice's outburst, "and of the five people I met that had actually _heard of it, none had ever _seen_ it, so they could only give me bits of information."  She wet her lips, her tone giving Alice an oddly cold sensation – as if the older woman was no longer in the room with her, but had stepped back into the past.  "They told me that only the purest, or most tainted, of spirits can tap the Everblack Bible's secrets.  To everyone else's eyes, it appears as nothing but a collection of pure black pages bound in leather of darkest pitch.  Nothing more, nothing less.  But to those few select individuals, it is a source of unrivaled power – not godhood, but close enough to it that it has sent a great number of power-mad souls in search of its dark spine."_

Alice considered this for a moment, feeling sick to her stomach as she spoke the words she knew she must.  "When you said it consumed Fletcher… what did you mean?"  She smiled weakly as Koudelka's eyes locked with hers, a clear look of reluctance on her face.  "I don't really want to know," Alice said honestly, "but if I do find it, I think it's important that I understand what I'm facing."

"Right," Koudelka nodded slowly.  "Well, when we found it, we had been traveling together for about three months, just going from town to town in search of anything interesting or out of the ordinary, and we had grown very… comfortable," she shrugged awkwardly, "we were not lovers or anything like that, but it was not from lack of attraction or mutual interest… it was more an unspoken agreement that this was not the right time."  She shook herself.  "Anyway, we found it on a pedestal in a church down the Themes by about seventy miles – barely a stone's throw from here, really – and Fletcher immediately grew excited.  'Look at the sigil on the cover!' he exclaimed, seizing the thing even as I cried out for him to stop, warning him that we had no way of knowing what it was."  

Koudelka shivered, rubbing her upper arms and forcing herself to continue as Alice waited patiently.  "'Nonsense!' he replied, running his hands over the thing with a brilliant smile, 'I know exactly what this is – and by God, I can _see_ something in it!'  Well, at that time I had no idea why this should be a cause for celebration, and as it was getting on towards night, I begged him to look at it another time… but it was too late."

"Go on," Alice urged as she lapsed into silence, "did it possess him, or-" 

"No," Koudelka cut in sadly, "when I said that it consumed him, I meant that literally.  One minute he was laughing and smiling, telling me that this would let him – let us – do anything we wanted… and the next," she swallowed hard, "the next, he was gone."

"Gone?" Alice breathed.

"Yes," Koudelka sighed.  "I was looking right at him, and then… I was looking at the church's far wall, because Fletcher was no longer there.  I searched for him – for months and months I asked everyone in all the neighboring towns if they knew anything about the church or the bible, but since it vanished with him, I could not show anyone, and no one seemed to know a thing about the empty church, other than the fact that it had been abandoned as long as anyone could remember."  She gazed out the window with an intent look on her face.  "There's one thing I've _always wanted to know, though…" she whispered._

Alice waited for a minute, then murmured, "What?"

When Koudelka raised her eyes, Alice was shocked by the depth of sadness in them.  "What's bothered me most since I started looking into it – and since I stopped – was this: if it can only be read by the purest or most tainted of souls… which was Fletcher?"

Silence reigned as Alice found that she had no reply.

Continued…

Author's note: the definition of the word 'bible' was taken directly off of www.dictionary.com, so don't go calling me a heathen!  I get enough of that from my family. :P Also,  I chose Jones as the name of the villain only because the other villain names (Bacon, Simon, etc) were so commonplace, not because I have anything against people named Jones. ^_~

Pre-reading assistance on this chapter was by Aegis, again… cuz she's the bestest bestest bestest. ^_^

Feedback is always welcome at random1377@yahoo.com


	3. The Unintentional Date and the Gift of D...

Disclaimer: see Verse 1.

The Everblack Bible

Verse 3

The Unintentional Date and the Gift of Darkest Night

By Random1377

Yuri yawned, lacing his hands behind his neck as he walked down London's bustling Old Church Street.  "Jones huh?" he mused, pausing to take a look in the window of a clock shop, shaking his head at the small coocoo lying on the otherwise empty display velvet.  "Doesn't sound so tough to me."

Halley and Margarete snorted in unison.  "You believe this guy?" Halley muttered, jerking a thumb at the man, "'Doesn't sound so tough' he says.  Never mind the fact that that guy almost killed me and my mom – that's not that tough."

"He's always been like that," Margarete sighed with mock exasperation, "nothing's too tough… no situation is too threatening… no sandwich is too big… no-"

"Hey!" Yuri cut in, stopping under an awning and trying to brush some of the rain off of his shoulders, "Shut up already!  Geez, it's not my fault you guys are babies!"

"Babies?" Margarete and Halley echoed simultaneously.

"Yeah, babies!" Yuri huffed.  "Man, one little demon or psycho ranting about how the world should be wiped clean and you guys get all grim and start moping about the end of the world!  Just relax a little and go with it – after all… you're with me."

"That's why we're worried," Halley said dryly.  "Hey, is it really that late?" he asked suddenly, looking up at a small clock mounted on one of the nearby buildings.  "Man, I gotta go help Joshua and Chris with the shop."

"Shop?" Yuri blinked.  "That's what you guys do for money now?"

"Don't you pay any attention at _all?" Halley burst out.  "You've been here for over two days now, and it's all we've been talking about!"_

"Oh," Yuri scratched the end of his nose, "I wasn't really listening."

"Wasn't really…" Halley trialed off, taking a deep breath to calm himself, "The Rats all help run a candy store," he said with forced patience, "and Carl watches out for them to make sure no one tries to lean on them or rob the place… but he's kind of old, and-"

"I wouldn't mess with Sharon," Yuri cut in, shaking his head with wonder.

"Not _everyone_ knows that she can summon monsters," Halley reminded him, shaking his head in frustration.  "Man, it's useless to try talking to you sometimes, you know that!  What's on your mind, anyway!?"

Yuri grinned and reached into his pocket, pulling out a folded square of paper and offering it to the boy.

Halley took it and flipped it open.  "Oh I should have known," he groaned.  "'Dear Miss Elliot,'" he read, "'You and your companions are cordially invited to a complimentary showing of the Crabtree and Smythe burlesque show this Sunday at 3:00 PM.  Please honor us with your company and…' what _is this?  Why would anyone invite __Alice to a burlesque??"_

"How do you know what a burlesque _is?" Margarete inquired, arching an eyebrow._

"Hey, I'm fifteen now!" Halley grumped.  "It's not like I've ever gone to one!"  Abruptly, he blushed, handing the invitation back to Yuri and dropping his eyes to the street.  "Well, you know… I haven't been to more than three or four.  I really gotta go, though – see you guys!"

Margarete laughed as the boy ran off.  "That kid's too funny," she said happily, looking at Yuri from the corner of her eyes, "but something tells me your little girlfriend doesn't know where we are – because you never showed her that invitation.  Right?"

"Of course I didn't," Yuri said, his tone indicating that this should be obvious, and that he was not going to rise to the bait of Margarete calling Alice his girlfriend.  "Come on – Alice… at a burlesque?  I think she'd blush just from seeing the invitation.  Besides, she was still talking to Koudelka about that bible thing."

"Yeah," Margarete laughed, picturing the expression on Alice's face at being invited to that kind of show, "I think you're right.  Hey," she said suddenly, "who sent it?"

"The owner of the place I guess," Yuri shrugged, "I mean, she _is_ pretty well known around here, what with all that mess we dealt with last year, you know?  Probably wanted to have her exorcize his dog's spirit after the show or… some…"  He frowned and trailed off as he realized that Margarete was grinning from ear to ear.  "What?"

"It's just you and me," Margarete said coyly, "it's like a date."

"Who said I was taking you?" Yuri cried, turning crimson as she suddenly leaned against his arm.

"Oooo don't be mean," Margarete pouted, "I like a good burlesque!"  She grinned.  "And this way, I get you allll to myself!"

"Whatever," Yuri said, defeated.  "Hey, don't hold my arm so tight," he complained as they started walking, "this _isn't_ a date…"

Margarete laughed.  "Fine, fine," she said lightly, noticing that the burlesque was only three buildings down, "we'll just say it's an afternoon out – does that sound better?"

Yuri opened his mouth to reply, but before he could speak a short man with mousy blonde hair and watery blue eyes came hurrying out of the burlesque, his head down to avoid the rain, and ran into Yuri's hip, bouncing off with a pained 'Oof'

"Whoa, you ok?" Yuri asked, thanking his lucky stars for the distraction.

"Oh," the small man bowed apologetically, "I didn't see you there… forgive me."

"Hey, no big deal," Yuri said easily, giving the man a quick once-over.  "Wow, this really _is an all ages show, isn't it old timer?"_

The man chuckled weakly.  "Ahh, though the years pass by, the flesh remembers the pleasures once tasted," he replied, his voice soft and quavering, "but were I you, I would forgo this pathetic attempt at entertainment and explore the mind of your lovely companion."

Margarete gave the man a polite smile.  "Easy there, pal," she said amicably, "I'm with him."

"Now I must beg _your_ forgiveness," the man wheezed, "for I meant no offence… I simply cannot allow such beauty as yours to go unnoticed."

"Apology accepted," Margarete grinned, slipping her arm around Yuri's waist, "and thank you."

The man bowed once more.  "Any time."  He considered them for a moment in silence before whispering, "Forgive my forwardness, but you seem so very comfortable together… have you been married long?"

As Yuri's jaw dropped, Margarete threw her head back and laughed.  "Less than a year," she replied, giving the man a sly wink as Yuri goggled at her, "still newlyweds."

The man seemed to find this very amusing, as a thin, secret smile appeared on his lips.  "Then you have my envy," he said to Yuri, smiling knowingly, "and if it would not be too awkward for you to accept, I would like to bestow upon you a gift."

"Oh, no that's ok," Margarete said quickly, finding the situation growing a touch uncomfortable as the man began rummaging through his pockets, "but you have a nice afterno-" 

"Please," the man coughed, covering his mouth with his left hand, "it would be an honor if you were to take this."  He pulled a small chain from his pocket.  "You see, I have been holding it for some time – in the hopes of finding a woman lovely enough to call my own… but it seems I have waited too long, and it would be such a shame to let it go to waste when there is a woman of your grace and stature to offset its beauty with your own."

"R-Really," Margarete stammered, finding herself actually flustered by the man's non-stop compliments, "I'm really nothing… special…" she trailed off as the pendent at the end of the chain came into view, sparkling even in the gloom of the rain.  "It's… beautiful…" she breathed.

She could tell by Yuri's silence that he was similarly affected, and she could not fault him for not stepping in to help her refuse the gift, for truly… it was lovely.  The chain – simple, linked silver – was not fancy, being nothing more than a conveyance for the jewel that dangled from it… but the jewel (for it was a jewel, though unlike any that Margarete had ever seen) shone with a soft, warm glow, somehow radiating gentle brightness in spite of its jet-black hue.

"I cannot tell you its origins," the man said calmly, unaffected by the egg-shaped jewel's luster, "for that is a mystery even to me… but I can tell you that its worth is incalculable, and it is doing me no good to hide it from the world."  He laughed weakly, offering the necklace out to Margarete.  "To be honest," he wheezed, "I was feeling guilty for holding it all these years.  You are doing my conscience a great service by relieving me of it."

"Well," Margarete whispered uneasily, her hand itching to close around the jewel, "never let it be said that I won't help a man ease his conscience… but I'm afraid it's too valuable for me to just accept."

The man looked at her shrewdly, offering her his thin, secret smile.  "Then consider it payment for gracing the world with your beauty," he said slyly, "but know that if you do not take it, it will be destroyed."

"What?" Yuri blinked, "Why would you do that, old timer?"

The man shrugged.  "I'm afraid that the more I look at your young wife, the more I am certain that no other woman will be suited for it."

As Margarete bit her lip uncertainly, Yuri rolled his eyes.  "Oh just take it," he grumbled, "we're going to miss the show – and he's gonna toss it if you don't."

Margarete nodded reluctantly, reaching out with her free hand and grasping the jewel.  "Oh!" she exclaimed, "It's… it's warm!"

"Is it?" the man asked nonchalantly.  "Then I must have chosen correctly."

Yuri pursed his lips as Margarete gazed wonderingly at the small jewel.  "Does it have a name?" he asked impulsively.

The man narrowed his eyes, his smile growing slightly.  "Why yes," he admitted, coughing into his fist.  "Yes it does."  He waited until Margarete looked up before murmuring, "Its name is Azreal's Tear… wear it proudly."

"Wait," Margarete called as the man bowed and started to turn away.  "I umm… we're not married, sir."

There was a moment of silence, and when the man answered, it was clear that he was smiling.  "I know."

"What a weirdo," Yuri muttered as the man wandered off, quickly losing himself in the crowd.

"Yeah," Margarete replied absently, her eyes still locked on the Tear, "but look at this, Yuri… it really is gorgeous."  Abruptly she looked up grinning broadly.  "Put it on me, husband of mine?"

Yuri pulled a face, taking the necklace and opening the clasp as Margarete turned around and lifted her hair out of the way.  "You don't know when to quit, do you?" he asked, exasperated.

Her smile growing sad, Margarete whispered, "I don't think I can quit until you know I'm not kidding."

"What was that?" Yuri asked, closing one eye as he draped the chain around her neck and tried to fasten the clasp, "couldn't hear you…"

"Nothing," Margarete sighed, "I was just saying sorry."  She turned around, making her smile brighter.  "So how does it look?"

"Really good," Yuri admitted, studying the woman with a critical eye, "really, _really_ good!"

_Now that's the look I want to see in your eyes,_ Margarete thought, feeling suddenly very warm, _somehow… somehow I'm going to get you to look at me like that all the time, damn it – if Alice can't get up the nerve to make you hers, I will._

"Why are you blushing?" Yuri asked suddenly.

"He said I was beautiful," Margarete giggled, biting back the comment that had risen to her lips.

No, she decided, 'because you were looking at me' would not go over so well just yet.  Maybe someday, but not just yet.

Yuri turned away.  "Yeah, well… we know he wasn't blind," he said awkwardly, "now let's go, I want to get good seats."

Margarete's jaw dropped.  _Did he just…?_  "Hey, come back!" she called as Yuri started walking away.  "Honeeeeey!!"

**

Several blocks down on Old Church Street, a tall man and a shorter man sat at a small outside coffee shop, blithely ignoring the rain falling all around them.  "How very bold of you," the tall man commented abruptly, breaking the companionable silence that had fallen between them.  "To just give away an artifact like the Tear… very bold indeed, my good man."

The shorter man sighed, picking idly at a half-eaten croissant.  "A moment of weakness," he said apologetically, "but well worth it for the expression on her face."

"I suppose it's not a terrible setback," the taller man said slowly, "after all, the Tear's powers are more benign than some of your other trinkets, and in all honesty…" he chuckled, "I do rather envy you for having the nerve to give it to her directly.  Well played, my friend."

"It was nothing more than impulse," the shorter man waved one hand, "I had really intended nothing more than seeing them with my own eyes."

"And became ensnared by the lovely Margarete's charms," the taller supplied wryly.

"Indeed," the shorter man wheezed.

"And other than her rhapsodic beauty, what did you observe?"

The shorter man considered this question for well over a minute before replying, "Dangerous.  Margarete portrays herself as a devil-may-care troublemaker, but her eyes betrayed her true capability.  She would have tried to kill me in a second had I attempted to harm her companion."

"Ahh, the harmonixer," the taller man nodded sagely, "she is rather poor at hiding her affection for him, isn't she?  But is he really the one that sent Albert back to hell?"

"Undoubtedly," the shorter man replied immediately, "he hides his skills even better than she, and there is no doubt that the Fallen God resides within his soul, waiting to be called forward and wreak havoc once more."

"_That_ one?" the taller man whistled, clearly impressed, "To bind a being of that power… the boy must indeed be a force to be reckoned with."

"It troubles me that the other was not with them," the shorter man said apprehensively, "I would have liked to have met her in person."

"Nervous, my good man?" the taller man said knowingly, "Come now, she is little more than a child."

"Ahh, but she was with the boy when he faced Albert," the shorter man reminded his companion, "and besides… it is rude to turn down an invitation."

"So _that_ is your true impetus!" the taller man cried triumphantly.  "Ha!  What did you expect, my friend?  You astound me – powerful enough to detect the sleeping God of Destruction in a boy you've known for less than five minutes… but foolish enough to believe that a pure, innocent creature such as Alice Elliot would attend a burlesque.  Truly, you are an enigma."  

The shorter man bristled.  "Forgive my ignorance in the rules of proper etiquette," he grumbled, "I'm afraid that people of her type are somewhat unknown to me – I am far more familiar with the darkened souls the likes of which she travels with."

"Calm down, my good man," the taller man laughed, "T'was merely a jest."  He shook his head with some amusement.  "Come, let us get out of the rain and prepare for the morrow."

The shorter man gave him a baleful glare, then sighed.  "Of course, you are right," he said reluctantly, "but it is unfortunate that I was unable to meet her before her death."

His companion gave him a soothing smile.  "Such is life," he said serenely.

"Indeed."

A moment later, the table they were sharing was empty.

Continued…

Author's notes:  Oh the mystery of it all!  Well I think it's about time we had some action to break up all these shady dealings, don't you?  Let's see what kind of baddies the two nameless gentlemen have lurking around the corner for our cozy little group, shall we?  And maybe, if we have time, we'll check in with Zhuzhen while we're at it, what do you say? ^_^  Oh and just for anyone that's not familiar, dictionary.com's third definition of 'burlesque' reads as follows: A variety show characterized by broad ribald comedy, dancing, and striptease.  :)

Pre-read was courtesy of the leading lady of Shadow Hearts fiction, Aegis… because she hasn't told me to stop bothering her yet.  Thanks!  :D

Feedback is always welcome at random1377@yahoo.com


	4. Southeast by Moonlight

Disclaimer: see Verse 1.

The Everblack Bible

Verse 4

Southeast by Moonlight

By Random1377

Alice covered her mouth, yawning as discretely as she could as she glanced around at the others.  Though it was late morning, everyone else looked as tired as she felt – not a huge surprise, she decided, since they had all been up for most of the night, planning their next move.

"So Bistritz, huh?" Yuri asked, not bothering to hide his own jaw-cracking yawn.  "I thought the bat guy was going to take it easy for a while."

"Well we're not really going there for Keith," Margarete pointed out, swinging her feet back and forth over the edge the small waterway on Old Church Street.  "It's the quack we're after, remember?  Koudles seems to think he might know something about the Everbark thing."

"Ever_black_," Alice corrected tiredly.  "Really, this is importa-"

"Oh, don't get your panties in a bunch," Margarete cut in sullenly, her voice rising an octave as she mimicked the English woman.  "'The Everblack Bible is a dangerous artifact that _must be destroyed before someone with less than honorable…' blah blah blah – I get it."  She shook her head ruefully.  "I swear, you goodie-goodie types are all alike."_

Yuri put a hand on Alice's shoulder as she bristled.  "The new car looks good," he said lightly, shaking his head as Alice sighed and forced herself to relax.

Margarete kept her back to them to hide the stupid grin that appeared on her face.  "It's legit, too," she said proudly, "this guy I know owed me a favor, so I leaned on him a bit and he gave me his own ca-"

"You call that legit?" Alice cut in dubiously, taking another look at the grey Ford sitting outside the Rats' house.

_Oh great,_ Yuri thought with an internal groan, _piss her off more.  What is with these two today!?_

He took a hasty step back as Margarete turned around and rose to her feet, staring at Alice with barely-concealed anger.  She opened her mouth to say something, but as she caught sight of Yuri's disapproving frown, she seemed to reconsider.

"Sorry," she muttered, more to Yuri than Alice, "didn't sleep much last night."

"I think we're all a little edgy," Koudelka said calmly, following Halley out of the hideout and blinking in the bright sun.  "Let's try to remember that we're all friends… and not let petty arguments stand in our way."

"Always the peacemaker," Yuri said thankfully, nodding to Halley as the young man offered him a pair of suitcases – found somewhere in the Rats' warren of stolen merchandise.

"I wasn't always this nice, you know," Koudelka pointed out, putting her hand on Halley's shoulder and giving him an affectionate squeeze as she gazed thoughtfully into a leftover puddle of rainwater, "having a child… changes a person – hopefully for the better, in my case."

"Were you that bad?" Alice asked skeptically, eying the woman closely as Yuri began loading their few possessions into the car.

"If you ever meet a man named Edward Plunkett, ask him about me," Koudelka said dryly, "though I doubt he'll feel inclined to talking on the subject for very long – I think he's still mad that I saved his life more than he saved mine."

"We'll keep that in mind," Margarete grinned, "hopefully we get to meet him so I can ask him."

Koudelka laughed.  "You're a live one," she said approvingly, "yes, definitely keep it in mind – I think it would be-"

"We made it!"

Alice glanced up the street, smiling happily as the rest of the Rats came skidding to a halt in front of their small group.  "Did you guys run all this way just to say goodbye?" she asked warmly.

"Uh… uh-huh," Chris gasped, holding her side and thrusting a small paper bag towards the exorcist.  "H-here…"

Alice took the bag and peered curiously into it.  "Candy?" she asked uncertainly.

"It's our newest," Sharon said boldly, her eyes shining with pride, "try one!"

Yuri slammed the car's trunk as Alice reached into the bad and pulled out a small, foil-wrapped candy.  "What are they?" he asked curiously.

"Well," Joshua piped in, not to be left out, "there was a man who came into the shop from a candy company in America, and he wanted to know if we wanted to sell his candy along with ours, and-"

"And we said yes," Chris cut in, taking one last deep breath to get her heartbeat under control, "and he gave us some of these little candies to try, but then-"

"But then I said why don't we try making something like his, only different," Sharon concluded, practically beaming, "so here they are."

Alice unwrapped one of the candies, examining it closely.  "Is it chocolate?" she wondered, popping it in her mouth.  "It looks like a – wow!!"

Sharon giggled.  "Aren't they good?"

Alice could only nod.  _Those are great!_ she thought, feeling a slight tingle at the base of her spine as the candy in her mouth finished dissolving.  "What do you call them?"

"We're not sure yet," Chris admitted, "we just barely finished the first batch – that's why we were late.  The man from America said his were called Kisses, so we'll have to have our name be different."

"What's so special about them?" Yuri asked, holding one of the candies between his thumb and forefinger and squinting at it suspiciously.  "Just looks like chocolate to me."

"Eat it," Alice urged, "it's so good!"  She smiled radiant at the children.  "You guys," she said firmly, "are geniuses."

The children all grinned at each other as Yuri shrugged and popped the candy into his mouth, his face taking on a look of disbelief as it simply disintegrated, instantly blanketing his tongue with warm, rich chocolate.  His eyes widened as the children began laughing.

"How… how do you do that?" he asked, amazed as he realized the candy inside his mouth was entirely gone.

"It's a secret," Sharon whispered conspiratorially.

Margarete took one of the candies and popped it in her mouth, making a great show of oooing and ahhing for the delighted children.  "Thanks for the snack, kids," she said, ruffling Joshua's hair – then checking to make sure her wallet was still there.  "We've gotta get going, though… it's already two o clock, and we've got a long way to go."

Koudelka nodded sadly.  "Margarete is right I'm afraid," she said reluctantly, "you kids head back to the shop before Carl yells at another customer."

Slightly disappointed that there would be no more praise, the three younger children started back towards the candy shop, striking up a lively conversation along the way on how they could apply their process to greenbeans – so as to make the consumption of that vile product a quicker affair.

"Wish I was young again," Margarete sighed, ruffling Halley's hair (much to his chagrin) and giving Koudelka a final nod.  "Well, we'll be going now."

"Drive safely," Koudelka said amicably, "and send word as soon as you get to Bistritz so I know you made it ok."  As the tall blonde nodded and ducked into the car, Koudelka pulled Alice to the side.  "Do something for me," she whispered, quickly pressing something into the exorcist's hand, "If your travels happen to bring you back to Nemeton, give this to Roger for me, alright?"

Alice started to open her palm, but the older woman shook her head.  "Alright," the exorcist nodded, trying to control her curiosity as she slid the paper-wrapped item into her backpack.

"And if you _really_ need me," Koudelka whispered, holding the girl's eyes with her own, "call out for me.  I _will be there."_

As the three adventures pulled away and started for the edge of town, Halley finally spoke up.  "Why didn't you tell Alice about Margarete's necklace?" he asked quietly.

Koudelka sighed and shook her head.  "It is not my place," she said tiredly, "if she wants Alice to know about it, she'll tell her." 

"But I thought you said it was affecting her aura."

"It is," Koudelka nodded, "but I think it's affecting it in a positive way."  She shrugged. "And besides, Alice _is a Demon Eyes… so I suspect she already knows __something is different." She sighed and rubbed her eyes tiredly, muttering, "Love is blind, I guess.  That's why I gave her the channeling stone – just in case."_

"Sounds kinda risky to me," Halley said doubtfully.

"It is," Koudelka said once more, putting her hands on her son's shoulders and looking into his eyes, "and I would go with them if I could, but I have to be here for you children right now, and we couldn't _all go."_

Halley averted his eyes.  "I could have gone," he said sullenly, stuffing his hands deep into his pockets.

Koudelka smiled… but said nothing.  _I will not lose you again,_ she thought with a trace of guilt, _call it selfish if you have to, but I will not let you go again._

After a moment of quiet, the two took a final glance in the direction the car had driven off in and went back into the house.

**

Alice woke from the light daze she had fallen into and blinked in confusions, rubbing her tied eyes as she tried to get her bearings.  _Moving… she thought, __oh, right… the car._

She sat up and stretched, glancing up to the front of the car.  "We are we?" she asked, keeping her voice low as she noticed the loose way Yuri's head bobbed from side to side.

"Europe," Margarete snorted.  "Sleep well?"

"Actually, yes," Alice said thoughtfully, glancing out at the moonlit terrain, "it looks like we're getting close… do you want me to try driving again?  It doesn't look like there are many people around this time."

Margarete glanced in the rearview mirror and made a face.  "I'll pass," she muttered, "maybe Yuri will give you some lessons in avoiding trees – once he figures it out."

Alice reddened.  "We said we were sorry," she whispered, shifting in her seat.

She truly did feel bad for the spy.  The drive to London had been uneventful and quiet, so Margarete had been content to drive the whole way without a single word about switching drivers, but with the road heading to Bistritz being so rough and taxing on both car and driver, she had been forced to ask for relief after twelve hours behind the wheel.

It was then that she had discovered that Alice could not drive, and Yuri was very bad at it.

"Yeah," Margarete mumbled, "and I said I'd drive. I think we both meant what we said."

"There's no need to be defensive," Alice pointed out quietly.

"I'm not being defensive," Margarete shot back, "I just don't understand how two people your age can get by without knowing how to drive.  I mean, I've been driving since cars first-"

As if to spite the older woman, a loud _bang erupted from the front of the car.  "What was that?!" Yuri demanded, snapping awake and looking around with sharp, suspicious eyes._

Margarete and Alice exchanged a look in the rearview, feeling a bit closer as they realized how silly their argument was.  "Just a flat," Alice said soothingly, almost touching him on the shoulder before noticing how closely Margarete was watching.

As the car slowed, Margarete sighed.  "Don't suppose either of you know how to change a t-"

"Look out!!"

It happened so fast that Alice's head was left spinning.  She had the barest of seconds to register a huge, winged form rushing towards the front of the car before another, much louder _bang shook her brain in her skull and knocked the breath from her lungs. Groggily, she shook her head and struggled to get her bearings._

"Y-Yuri?"

The world had a tilted, uneven slant to it – unsurprising, as the car had been rocked halfway onto its side – and from where she sat, Alice could just make out the shape of Yuri's Death Emperor, snarling and snapping at Margarete through the shattered windshield.

Only… it was not _Yuri's_ Death Emperor – no, he was still in the front, grasping desperately at the creature's black hands.  _Attack, Alice thought dizzily, trying to remember where she had put her __Holy book of Martyrs ­– her preferred bible for spellcasting._

"Damn it," Yuri roared, barely holding on to the thrashing monster's forearms, "Open the door – get out!!"

"R-right!" Margarete gasped, pushing herself further back against the car's bench seat and barely avoiding the Emperor's razor-sharp jaws.

Alice took Yuri's advice and threw her own door open, spilling out onto the rough dirt road a moment before the car filled with a cloud of noxious gas.  _Dark Messenger!_ she thought, coughing as a whiff of the poisonous vapor caressed her face.  _Oh no – Yuri!! Margarete!! _

She scrambled to her feet, casting about for anything she could use as a weapon, but before she could find anything, the telltale report of a gun sounded less than three feet away.

"Margarete!"

The older woman was on her knees on the driver's side, coughing almost uncontrollably, yet somehow managing to keep her favorite pistol – Draze – pointed towards the front of the car, pulling the trigger over and over as the Death Emperor thrashed and growled, seemingly intent on finishing what it had started in the car's cab before turning its attention to the annoyance kneeling in the road.

_Yuri,_ Alice thought desperately, reaching into her pocket and pulling out the smaller, less powerful _Shooting Star Tome_.

As she opened it, fully intent on drawing on the power of _Advent, the roof of the Ford exploded… and the huge form of Amon rose up into the night, born on tattered wings the shade of old bruised tissue and rotten, dead teeth._

"Yuri," she breathed, watching in wonder as the harmonixer rose higher, drawing the Death Emperor away from the decimated vehicle.  Shaking her head, the exorcist dashed to where Margarete had finally collapsed, opening her bible and flipping first to her Resurrection spell… then slowly turning to and chanting the simple Cure spell instead.

_She doesn't look too bad,_ she thought as she completed the chant, nodding to herself as the green, healing light washed over Margarete's body and the woman's ragged breathing eased; _in fact… she didn't look hurt at all!  I wonder-_

A furious roar drew her attention to the sky, and she cried out, instinctively covering her head as she found the Death Emperor diving straight towards her, its misshapen head spit in a huge, triumphant grin. The roar sounded again, and in spite of her resolve not to look, Alice found herself drawn to the anger of that cry.

_I'm looking at my own death,_ she thought deliriously, her eyes meeting with the monster's.

A third cry split the night air, and a moment before the Death Emperor reached her, another creature dropped out of the sky, crushing it into the dirt with an anticlimactic _crunch_.

All was still.

Alice looked up into Amon's hellish yellow eyes, swallowing as she whispered, "Y-Yuri… are you ok?"

Amon roared one last time, its gargantuan form fading from view as Yuri banished it back to the dark corner of his soul that was its home.  "Yeah," he coughed, reaching into his jacket and pulling out his Nightbird claws, "just… keep your eyes open – it might not have been alone."  He wet his lips as he glanced around the quiet plain.  "Is she ok?"

_That was rough,_ he thought as he waited for Alice to check Margarete, _gotta let him out more often… he REALLY didn't want to go back._

"Well," Alice said reluctantly, "I thought she was about to die, so I started to Resurrect her… but… but she was still breathing, and her… aura looked strong, so I just Cured her – and she's fine."

Yuri's nostrils flared, as if he was sniffing the air.  "She took it full in the face," he said after a moment, "she must have been holding her breath – otherwise, she'd be dead."

Alice paled.

There were many spells of health and wellbeing that she could call into effect with the aid of a bible… but even the deceptively titled Resurrection chant could not only restore life within a few seconds of death – for once a soul truly left the body, there was no coming back. _Dead, she thought dazedly, __Margarete could have died tonight – Yuri could have died tonight…_

She looked up as Yuri knelt down and lifted Margarete into his arms, a brief, irrational pang of jealousy coming over her at the tenderness in his movements.  "I'll… get the bags," she said awkwardly, trying not to see how he rested the other woman's head on his shoulder.

"Hey," Yuri said suddenly, reaching out with the hand under Margarete's shoulders and grabbing Alice by the wrist, "stay close to me, ok?  We're gonna walk through the night – I don't want to be here when whoever sent that thing after us come to check on it."

"You think someone sent it?" Alice asked nervously as they headed back towards the car… but paying very close attention to the way his hand felt on her skin.

"Probably that Jones moron," Yuri growled, "Koudelka said he was after the Bible, right?  Well, he probably had spies watching her, and since we came right after, he figured we'd be out to get there first."  He shrugged.  "Military tactics, baby – wipe out the competition, and you automatically win the race, no matter how slow you run."

Alice had a sudden vision of a sinister man in a black top hat, strolling leisurely behind a happy, unsuspecting Sharon.  In her mind's eye, she could see the man smiling wickedly as he drew a small dagger and approached the child, his intent all too clear.

Shaking her head to rid herself of the disturbing vision, Alice replied, "Then let's make sure we run faster – if he's willing to do this if he just _thinks_ we're after the Bible, I want to make sure we get to it first… because who knows what he'll do if he actually _gets_ it!"

Yuri glanced from the slack face of the woman in his arms to the ruin of the car they had been traveling in less than ten minutes prior.  "Amen," he whispered, shaking his head grimly.  "Amen."

Continued…

Author's notes: I guess Zhuzhen will have to wait until next chapter – sorry Zhu fans!  :( I wanted to have them at least get to him, but I just couldn't fit it in, what with all the other stuff going on.  Next time… next time.  Kisses, by the way, have been around since 1907.  ^_^  I was going to have it so that Sharon invented them, but it turns out she was a few years too late, so I had to settle for her making her own candies _based on Kisses.  *Shrug* I'd rather have Sharon's, wouldn't you?  :D  Oh, and for those sharp-eyed, horror game fans – yes, the channeling stone is the same channeling stone from the scariest of scary games __Silent Hill.  Well, ok, it's not the __actual stone, since it won't summon UFOs, but it __looks like it.  -_-_

A note on WW1, which should (by all reckoning) be taking place at the same time as this story: I'm afraid I'm not much of a war buff, and since this is fanfiction, I'm having it so the locations our heroes visit are not yet involved in the conflict.  I know this may come across as a copout (and pretty darn historically inaccurate), but if you think about it, WW1 should have already broken out by the time Yuri first tried to merge with Seraphic Radiance – he was out of it for six months after all – so if anyone's at fault, it's Midway!  …ahh watch as I shift the blame.  ^_~

Pre-read on this chapter was by Aegis – who just sighed and rolled her eyes when I tried to explain why I wasn't sticking to history.  :(

Feedback is always welcome on this site or by e-mailing random1377@yahoo.com 


	5. A Casual Stroll through the Woods

Disclaimer: see Verse 1.

The Everblack Bible

Verse 5

A Casual Stroll through the Woods

By Random1377

Alice sighed as another long string of curses echoed through forest.  "Aren't we trying to be quiet?" she asked tiredly, covering her mouth with the back of her hand as a rather broad yawn escaped her.

Ahead of her on the narrow trail, Yuri cursed again.  "Damn stupid branches!" he growled, sounding as if he was actually making an attempt to stay quiet.  "If I get whipped in the face one more time, so help me God, I'll-"

"Easy there, tiger," Margarete interrupted softly, "I think I heard something."

The trio moved quickly, arranging themselves in a rough triangle, back to back to back, and froze, eyes scanning the dense foliage all around for any sign of movement.  After several moments of tense waiting, a soft rustling came from the underbrush… and a small, brown rabbit hopped out of the underbrush, its tiny nose wriggling as it scented the air cautiously.

No one moved.  Far too often, in their line of work, a seemingly harmless creature could prove to be more deadly than a rampaging black bear, lulling its victim into a false sense of security before transforming to some horrid beast and consuming them before they could so much as scream.

"It looks normal to me," Alice said after a moment, relaxing visibly as the rabbit investigated a leafy green plant.

"See anything else out there?" Margarete asked Yuri, sweeping her third of the forest with her ten gauge (liberated from the ruins of the car's trunk) and pressing herself a bit tighter against the man's back.

"Nothing on this side," Yuri reported, "kinda feels wrong, though, doesn't it?"  Abruptly, he laughed.  "Jumping at bunnies," he snorted, shaking his head ruefully, "let's go… we're wasting time."

As he started off, Alice turned to Margarete.  "Hey, I almost forgot," she said softly, reaching into her backpack and rummaging around for a moment, "you dropped this back there."  After a moment, she pulled out Draze, offering it to the other woman with a look of vague distaste.  "Here."__

 "You hold onto it for me," Margarete said darkly, "I'm going for something heavier from now on – stupid thing didn't even put a dent in that Emperor, and my backpack is already pretty full."

"Alright," Alice sighed, reluctantly tucking the weapon back into her pack, "but don't forget to get it when we get to Bistritz – I don't really like guns…"

Margarete waved a hand.  "Yeah, yeah," she mumbled, "can't have a pretty little thing like you running around with a _gun_ for heaven's sake – you might break a nail on it."

Alice flushed, but refused to let herself rise to the insult.  "Yes, well," she said with forced lightness, "I think we're almost there, so why don't we save our breath."

"Best idea I've heard all day."

In silence, the two hurried to catch up to Yuri… none of them ever noticing the pair of dull golden eyes watching them from a branch high in the concealing canopy of the trees.

**

Keith Valentine, immortal member of the Earth Clan, was a patient man by nature.  After several hundred years of life, he simply found it very difficult to get worked up over anything less than a world-threatening catastrophe.  He could, however, empathize with his mortal companion Master Li Zhuzhen's concern over the current situation, so he did his best to be comforting.

"I'm sure they're fine," the vampire said casually, "probably just had a flat tire or something – Koudelka's wire said they were traveling in somewhat of a rundown car, after all."

Zhuzhen continued his restless pacing, his hands clasped firmly behind his back.  "I know, I know," he admitted, "but they are longer overdue than I am comfortable with.  I would be much relieved if they would arrive."

"Agreed," Keith said amicably, "but there is no need to be _so agitated, my friend… come, sit down – they will arrive regardless of whether or not you are wearing a rut in the street."_

With a sigh, the adept nodded, walking to the other man's side and slowly lowering himself to the ground.

Keith offered him a faint smile.  "I admire you, Master Zhuzhen," he said quietly, "it must take a lot of effort to put on such a show."

"What do you mean?" Zhuzhen asked briskly, "I feel fine."

"I didn't say anything about your health," Keith pointed out lightly, "and to someone that hunts the night, the pain in your eyes is as plain as day."

Zhuzhen let out another, gustier sigh.  "There is… no reason to announce my discomfort to the world," he said slowly, leaning his head against the wall of the Bistritz church and staring up at the early evening sky.  "Some things are private."

Keith nodded sagely.  "If you would like to talk about it," he offered quietly, "I… do have a little knowledge of easing pain."  He grinned suddenly.  "In my mortal life, I was actually in training to be a doctor, and my interest in the workings of the human body has never faded."

"There is no cure for this pain," Zhuzhen murmured, "I fear… it is simply approaching my time to depart."

There was a moment of thoughtful silence.

"With all due respect," Keith said dryly, "I cannot see you giving up your life so cavalierly."

Zhuzhen snorted.  "Oh give me _some_ credit," he said ruefully, "an adept knows his own body… and mine is telling me that it is weary.  I have endured things that no mortal man should endure – and I have lived far longer than a man with my experiences should, but-" 

"Nonsense," Keith cut in sternly, "while I concede that you have seen and done much, the very idea that you are approaching the end is… offensive.  Next you'll be telling me that you see a long tunnel with a light at the end."

"You've been hanging around Yuri too much," Zhuzhen grumbled, "I didn't say I was at death's door!  I just think that I won't be around fifteen or twenty years from now."

Keith considered this.  Twenty years did not seem like much time to him, of course, but to a human it should be quite a bit of time.  "How old will that make you?" he asked suddenly, deciding that a change of topics was in order.

"I'd say about a hundred and fifty," a voice boomed out of the shadows, "maybe one sixty."

Zhuzhen and Keith scrambled to their feet as three shapes made their way through Bistritz's front gates.  "It's about time," Zhuzhen complained, showing none of his prior anxiety.  "Where have you been??"

"Oh, here and there," Yuri said casually, "strolling through the woods, playing with the wildlife, fighting demons – the usual."

"We were attacked by a Death Emperor," Alice explained, leaning forward and rubbing her right leg with a tired groan, "destroyed the car… tried to kill us…" she frowned.  "The usual."

Zhuzhen shook his head.  "Kids," he chuckled, "you'll be the death of me."  He nodded to Margarete.  "I see you've come equipped for trouble," he said, eyeing the shotgun in her hands, "you can put that away… I don't think anything would be stupid enough to attack while we're all here."

"Yeah, you know what?" Margarete said absently, her eyes scanning the forest they had so recently exited, "I'll just hold onto it for now."

"Suit yourself," Zhuzhen shrugged, "now I give you, your host."

Keith rolled his eyes.  "Always one for pomp and circumstance, aren't you?" he muttered, stepping forward and clasping Yuri's hand.  "It's good to see you all," he said warmly, "and I have a surprise for you."  He bowed over Alice's hand, kissing it lightly before straightening and announcing, "I've had one of the shops in down converted to an inn… and I would be honored if you were its first guests."

"An inn?" Margarete blinked, "in a town this small?  How will it support itself?"

"I don't expect it to," Keith laughed, gesturing for the tired trio to follow him, "I commissioned it with the idea of having a meeting place for the townspeople to frequent and a safe haven for any travelers that might be passing through the area."  He nodded to the former weapons shop.  "I had the entire inside torn out and rebuilt, and we added a second floor… and for the times when there are not enough visitors to ensure that the bills are paid, I have agreed to supplement the inn's income with my own funds."

"I'll let you in on a little secret," Yuri commented, looking around the nearly empty town, "you'll be doing a lot of supplementing."

"I'm fine with that," Keith nodded, "it is my honor as this town's magistrate."

"Wow," Margarete murmured, "you're really taking this seriously."

Keith bowed, pushing the door open and bowing them in.  "But of course.  Now if you would be so kind as to choose rooms and deposit your things and join me at Castle Blue, I would love to have you for dinner."

"Could you rephrase that?" Yuri asked amicably, picking significantly at his canines. "It just sounds wrong coming from you."

"Be nice," Alice admonished, walking up to the front desk.  "Oh!" she exclaimed, "Michelle, you work here now?"

Michelle Wagner nodded, smiling warmly.  "Only a few hours in the evening, after my shop closes," she explained, "Kei- ahem, Mister Valentine was kind enough to offer me a second income if I would help him tend the inn during supper time, when the regular innkeeper is dining."

Alice smiled, taking in the woman's faint blush, easily catching the quick look the woman shot the blonde-haired man.  "I see," she said, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, "you'll have to tell me about it sometime."

Michelle's blush deepened.  "I umm… ahem!" she cleared her throat, "Right this way, I'll show you to your rooms."

**

Yuri let out a long, satisfied belch and leaned back in his chair.  "Now _that was a meal!" he exclaimed happily._

"Yuri!" Alice gasped, clearly mortified by the man's behavior.

The long table the septet was situated around had been lavishly appointed with every kind of food imaginable, from roast beef, to oven baked chicken, to countless dishes of fruits and vegetables – a feast, Alice thought dizzily, _more_ than fit for a king.

"He's funny," Nina giggled, trying to cover her mouth as her mother gave her a slightly reproachful look.  "Sorry…"

The two townspeople, Alice further noticed, were the only ones outside their party that had been invited, cause enough for raised eyebrows without Michelle's constant glances at their host.  _Good for you, Alice thought, smiling at Yuri as he announced that he was going in for thirds, __I know we don't know each other that well… but I still wish you the best. _

"So," Zhuzhen said finally, "now that we're all a bit fuller," he shot Yuri a disgusted look, "why don't you tell us about this book you're looking for, Alice?  The wire we received was not very clear."

Alice cleared her throat.  "Well," she said slowly, "Koudelka seemed to think it would be a bad idea to mention it in an open letter, but the book we're looking for is called the Everblack Bible, and-"

"The Everblack?" Zhuzhen cut in suddenly, "you're sure that's what she said?"

"You've heard of it?" Yuri asked around a mouthful of roast pork.

"Yes, my mannerless friend," Zhuzhen mused, "a very powerful artifact, the Everblack.  No one knows who wrote it, or when or where for that matter… only that it is very dangerous – only to be handled by those with a pure spirit.

"Or a tainted one," Alice supplied helpfully, "that's what Koudelka said."

"Indeed," Zhuzhen said thoughtfully, leaning back in his chair and stroking his chin.

 "Ahhh, I think I have also heard of this Bible," Keith said suddenly, "it was in my youth, and-"

"_Your_ youth??" Margarete cut in skeptically, her lips compressing to a thin line.

"Yes," Keith grinned, his sharp teeth glittering in the candlelight, "and it was an old legend then.  Having little interest in such matters, I did not pay it much mind, but I remember my brother telling me that it was to be avoided at all costs, as it holds a certain… reflective power."

"So it protects whoever uses it?" Alice asked uncertainly, wondering why vampires would be bothered by such an item.

"Partly," Keith nodded, "it is rumored to have that ability, but it also seems to act in accordance to the nature of the person using it."  He waved and rose from the table as one of his newly-hired servants appeared in the doorway and gestured frantically for him to come. "Mirrors need not be silver," he said as he passed Alice's chair, "remember that."

"I think what our vampiric friend means is that it is somewhat of a 'wish fulfiller,'" Zhuzhen said slowly, "I wish I could remember more of the bits and pieces I've read about it, but… no, I can't think of them right now."  He sighed and rubbed his eyes.  "I'll sleep on it – maybe it'll come to me in the morning, but there are quite a few warnings regarding that book… if you do plan to go looking for it, don't take it lightly."

"I understand," Alice nodded, feeling suddenly very tired, "we'll… talk about it tomorrow while we're looking at the church, ok?"

"That sounds like an excellent plan," Zhuzhen agreed, rising to his feet, "discussing important topics when you are tired is a very good way to forget what you have learned."  He bowed to Nina and Michelle.  "Good evening ladies," he said politely, "I apologize if our conversation was boring."  He offered Alice his arm.  "Shall we, my dear?"

Alice curtsied.  "Why Master Zhuzhen," she grinned, "so gentlemanly.  Yuri, are you coming?"

Yuri shook his head, biting into a rather large chunk of beef.  "Gonna finish up," he said, sounding muffled through the food, "night."

"I'll stick around to make sure the bottomless pit here doesn't choke," Margarete said casually, "see ya."

Alice hesitated, slightly unnerved by the predatory smile the other woman gave her.  "Al…alright," she said reluctantly, "Goodnight."

Margarete sighed.  _Damn I'm being a bitch, she thought tiredly, _I know she likes him… maybe I should back off?_ She glanced at Yuri from the corner of her eyes and sighed softly.  __Maybe I'll just take it easy for a day or two… she what she does.  God – why am I being nice about this!  She's been with him a year, and-_

Cutting her self off mid-though, Margarete picked up her glass of wine and took a sip, finding that she actually agreed with Zhuzhen.

_It's just not a good idea to think about important things when you're tired…_ she thought, _I'll just sleep on it – though I'd rather sleep on HIM, I-  Wow!  Where did THAT come from!_

"Are you ok?" Michelle asked suddenly, "you're all flushed."

"I'm fine," Margarete said quickly, noticing that Yuri had stopped eating and was watching her closely.  "I'm… just tired – walk back with me?"

Yuri sighed, looking down at his half-empty plate.  "Yeah, ok," he said slowly, "guess I've had enough anyway."

Withholding a rather childish giggle, Margarete rose to her feet and offered him her arm.  _I'll sleep on it, she told herself, __but until I get to bed, I'll just pretend I'm his wife again._

**

"A most interesting character, this Mister Valentine."

In the forest between Bistritz and Blue Castle, just off the beaten path, the tall man and the shorter man watched Yuri and Margarete make their way back to the inn.

"Do you believe he will be a hindrance?" the taller man asked, idly wrapping a blade of grass around his finger.

"I have no doubt he would try to stand in our way should we be required to make a move while the Elliot woman is in his town," the shorter man said quietly, "but if it comes to that, and we need to take… extreme measures, he would not be able to stand in our way."

The taller man glanced deeper into the woods, frowning as he caught a glimpse of movement.  "Would it not be easier to just take these two now?" he asked, pursing his lips.  "She is drunk, and he is clearly too comfortable to be truly alert.  T'would be child's play to-" 

"Now, now my good man," the shorter of the duo interjected calmly, "all in good time.  Let us stick to our current plan of watching and waiting.  After all," he shook his head wearily, "would it not be easier to have them locate the Bible for us, then swoop in like a hawk and relieve them of it?"

"I suppose," the taller man yawned, raising his hand and pointing it into the woods, "but I've always found it best to deal with vermin quickly and-" 

The smaller man reached out and put his hand over his companion's palm, shaking his head as a small ball of energy began forming there.  "Let it go," he said softly, nodding to the place the other man had been about to attack, "it is unimportant… and it will draw undue attention to us."

"Of course," the taller man bowed diffidently, "though it… irks me that _it_ has the nerve to follow us so brazenly."

A wheezing chuckle issued from the smaller man's throat.  "It is simply hoping for more scraps from our table," he said dismissively, "leave it be."

"Of course."

There was a moment of quiet as the two men turned their attention back to the trail, finding it now empty.  By silent accord, they said nothing more, choosing to simply wait and see what the next day would bring.

After all, when someone else is doing your work for you, there is never a need to rush.

Continued…

Author's notes: there is definitely something to be said for having others do your work… I wish I had someone to write this chapter – I had a hell of a time finding a direction for it! _  Well, 6 and 7 should be pretty soon in coming, since I have a strong sense of how they will go, so hopefully… the 2 of you out there that read this won't have so long to wait for the next installment! :P

Oh, one last note – I could find NO reference to a last name for Nina and Michelle… so I made one up.  If there IS a documented name out there, anyone feel free to let me know and I'll correct it.  Thanks.

Aegis once more graced my pathetic story with her divine pre-reading abilities… I can only bow to her.  *bow bow*  :D

Feedback is welcome on this site or by e-mailing me directly at random1377@yahoo.com


	6. The Best Hiding Place

Disclaimer: see Verse 1.

The Everblack Bible

Verse 6

The Best Hiding Place

By Random1377

Yuri yawned as he leaned back against the broad wooden fence, taking a quick look at the church's open, moonlit doors before turning to his companion and asking, "So you just barely got the place open?"

Zhuzhen gave him an irritated glance.  "It was heavy," he said sullenly, "and none of the townspeople would help me, since the place is supposed to be haunted by the spirits of all the Kaisers that have ruled the town for the last five hundred years."

"Right," Yuri winked, "and Keith couldn't help you because…?"

At this, Zhuzhen's irritation turned to embarrassment.  "Alright, alright," he muttered, giving a quick look around to make sure Keith was not within earshot.  Finding the vampire digging idly in the garden of one of the local people, Zhuzhen whispered, "I didn't want to ask him."

"What?" Yuri blinked, "Why not?"

Zhuzhen made a sour face.  "Listen kid," he murmured, "if someone came to you and asked you to harmonize for them… would you ask them to knock on the demon's door to wake it up for you?"

"Your analogies suck," Yuri said lightly, "but I guess I see your point.  If he had to help you, why have you come at all, right?"

"Something like that," Zhuzhen nodded, "I have my pride, you know."

"Could have fooled me."

The adept let the comment go, glancing instead at the cloudless evening sky.  They had chosen to open the church at night so Keith could be present – not that the sun was truly harmful to the vampire, contrary to popular belief, but it _was slightly painful to his night-bred eyes – and Alice and Margarete had ventured into the building less than ten minutes prior to give it a preliminary once-over._

_And to hell with having anyone accompany them,_ Zhuzhen thought ruefully, _Margarete can be quite headstrong when she's feeling 'empowered' – and so can __Alice_, when you think about it._  He frowned.  __Alice__… Margarete… even Koudelka.  Hmmm…_

"Don't you find it… interesting that we've all found our way back here?" Zhuzhen said idly.

"Well it could just be a coincidence," Yuri said, sounding as if he was trying to convince himself of this argument.

"Right," Zhuzhen coughed, "sure.  So you don't find it the slightest bit interesting that Koudelka and Halley barely set foot on American soil when – after hearing nothing for ten years – they come across a rumor that Halley's father is back in London, prompting them to return almost immediately?"

"That's a little weird, yeah," Yuri admitted, "but everyone else stays around here anyway… except you."

"More or less," Zhuzhen shrugged, "Paris isn't that far from here – or rather, it's at least on the same continent… but isn't it odd how Margarete's latest assignment was cancelled, allowing her the freedom to travel with you two again?  And didn't Keith say he was tired of adventuring and planned to sleep for a few hundred years?"  He watched Nina tugging on Keith's hand, an expression of pouting visible on her features even at that distance.  "And when you get to it," he said slowly, "why bring me all the way from Shanghai to re-sanctify the church?  Alice would have been more than happy to do it – as would any number of local sages, adepts, and exorcists… they _live_ for this kind of stuff."

Yuri forced a smile, waving to Alice as she and Margarete stepped out of the church, gesturing emphatically for him to come over so they could show him something.  "Do you think someone's pulling the strings again?" he asked quietly, taking a step towards the women.  "Like Dehual?"

"Not really sure yet," Zhuzhen said lightly, "but I think it would be best if I stay here and try to figure it out… believe it or not, I think that very church is significant somehow."

"Alright," Yuri nodded, "we'll stick around for a day or two, then head back towards Rouen, kinda start looking around that area."  He shrugged.  "Alice said she had a good feeling about heading that way… and since she's the one with the 'Demon Eyes,' I figure what the heck."

"Sounds like a plan," Zhuzhen replied, "watch your back."

"Always."

"Right," Zhuzhen snorted, "you're a regular model of self-control."

"Oh stuff it, old man," Yuri grunted, "like you're any better."

"Y-Yuri?  Zhuzhen?"

"Coming," Yuri yawned, turning to face the two women, "don't get all hot under the col-"

He cut himself off as he found Alice and Margarete wide-eyed and pale, their attention glued to a small bundle of cloth in the exorcist's arms.

"What's wrong?"

Alice slowly unwrapped the package, her hands shaking slightly as they uncovered a simple, jet-black book.  "I think…" she swallowed to clear her throat. "I think this is it."

**

"You've gotta be _kidding_ me!"

Yuri's stunned exclamation broke the silence that had fallen over the small group, startling everyone with the explosiveness of its utterance.

"Well, umm," Alice stammered, giving Margarete a bemused, sideways glance, "no, I'm not… I think this is the Everblack Bible."

"And it was just tucked in the some corner of an old abandoned church??" Yuri sounded outraged at the very notion.  "That's just… too easy!"

"It wasn't just tucked into a corner," Margarete sniffed, folding her arms over her breasts and trying to hold in a huge grin. "It was sitting on the pulpit… wide open."

Yuri's mouth dropped open.

"I guess the best place to hide something _is in plain view," Zhuzhen mused, stroking his chin as he regarded the book, "with the church in such a state of disrepair – and with a reputation for being haunted – no one would think of looking there for such a powerful artifact.  Very clever… but-" _

"But who put it there," Yuri cut in skeptically, "you don't just leave something like that lying around!"

"Calm down, boy," Zhuzhen chuckled, "you sound like you're mad we found it at all."

Margarete laughed as Yuri scowled.  "So we've got it," she said thoughtfully, patting the harmonixer's shoulder in a consoling fashion, "now what do we do with it?  Hey, you guys are both mystical types… what kind of 'aura' does it have? _Is_ it evil?"

"It doesn't have _any_ aura," Alice laughed nervously, running her fingers lightly over the book's smooth cover, "it's like… it doesn't exist."

"Come again?" Yuri asked, confused.

"Everything has _some_ aura," Zhuzhen clarified sagely, "be it the natural spirit of Gaia in the trees and rocks or the residue of past owners or creators, everything in the world has some kind of aura, no matter how faint."

"But not this book," Alice said, sounding somewhere between fear and awe.  "It's like it just… isn't there."

"Or maybe," Zhuzhen said thoughtfully, tapping the spine of the book, "maybe it somehow _hides_ its aura, or masks it."  He narrowed his eyes.  "If you focus your attention on it, you can get the impression of _something_… but the harder you try, the vaguer it becomes – as if the book itself were trying to-" 

"Oh cut the crap," Yuri interjected impatiently, "you're telling me the book doesn't _want_ to be seen?  What a load of-"

"Mind your tongue, boy!" Zhuzhen snapped, showing the first traces of real anger, "This book is not to be taken lightly.  Many men have died in trying to uncover its secrets… many more have died trying to possess it – and no one that has come in contact with it has remained unscathed."

Yuri considered the Bible for a moment, then shrugged.  "If it's so bad, why not just burn it right now?  We have it right here."

Zhuzhen grinned… then stepped back and planted his staff in the ground.

"Ahh!"

Alice barely had time to raise her hands, instinctively holding the book out in front of her as Zhuzhen quickly incanted his Ogre Flame Dance.  Instantly, a series of small fireballs shot from the tip of his staff, seemingly eager to consume anything in their path… but as they got to within ten feet of where the exorcist stood, they were drawn into the Bible's cover, vanishing without a trace.

"So you see," Zhuzhen began with some satisfaction, "the Everbl-"

He cut himself in mid-sentence as Yuri stepped forward, his eyes blazing with malice.

"Don't you ever," he whispered, his muscles flexing dangerously as Margarete took hold of his right arm and held him back, "_ever do something like that again!"_

A long uncomfortable silence descended as Zhuzhen slowly pulled his staff free of the ground, using his sleeve to wipe a trickle of sweat from his forehead.  "Forgive me," he said formally, bowing first to Yuri, then Alice, "a simple explanation would have been much more appropriate."

"It's… fine, really," Alice said awkwardly, finally lowering the Bible and putting a hand on Yuri's tense shoulder.  "Really," she repeated gently, "Yuri, it's – I'm fine."

Yuri took a deep breath, running his hands through his hair.  "Sorry," he muttered, his sullen tone indicating that he was anything but.

"Think nothing of it," Zhuzhen said lightly, frowning as he noticed the dark expression on Margarete's face, "but as I was saying, the Everblack is more than simple leather and parchment – it is a powerful creation, born in a time long forgotten, when abilities such as ours were considered run of the mill… it will not _allow_ itself to be destroyed by something so common as fire or water."

"So how do we do it?" Margarete asked in exasperation, shooting a glance between Yuri and Alice.  "I mean, we can't just hang around with it and wait for someone like Jones to come take it from us while we're trying to figure it out!"

"There… is a rumor," Zhuzhen said slowly, "God, it's been so long since I've read it… how did it go?  Ahh yes – I remember now."  He took a deep breath.  "I was once privileged enough to tour the Vatican's secure archives – not unsupervised, of course, and I was only allowed enough time to assist the Cardinal of Moscow with a particularly troublesome phantom."  He raised his hands as Yuri rolled his eyes impatiently.  "Yes, yes, I'll save that story for later, but as I was saying."  He cleared his throat and rubbed his brow, clearly trying to recall the details that would be most important. 

"In the tome I was studying I happened to find a passage relating to a 'Most Darke Bible.'  The passage described the Bible as being entirely lightless and valueless – a book of the Devil himself, fit only for dark and chaotic undertakings… but it did mention that should anyone come in contact with this book, they should immediately cast the _Nocturne Sephilim to keep the book from taking their soul, and deliver it forthwith to the Temple of the Fallen Star near Naples to be cleansed in the waters of the spring there, as they are the purest, holiest fountains in the world."_

"Naples, huh?" Margarete mused, "Nice little town.  I've been there a few times… maybe I can get us a place to stay.  Should I put in the call?"

Yuri nodded, the idea that there was any choice other than going never even entering his thoughts.  "So cast the Nocturne thing for us, old man," he said, clearly wondering why this had not been done already, "I kinda like my soul where it is."

Zhuzhen coughed.  "I umm… don't know the _Nocturne Sephilim_," he replied softly, "only the most trusted demon hunters of the Church know that incantation due to its power and complexity – oh, don't think I didn't _try_ to learn it while I was in the archives… believe me, it is a very tightly guarded secret."

Alice, noticing the grim expressions all around, made a show of taking off her backpack and slipping the Everblack Bible into it.  "I don't think it will be sucking any souls in there," she said lightly.

"Treat it carefully," Zhuzhen said seriously, "and do not use it in anger – that, above all else, is the advice that every rumor of the Everblack agrees on."  He scratched his chin thoughtfully.  "Actually," he said slowly, "many of the legends say that someone pure of heart can safely use the Bible's powers.  Now I'm not saying you should try, dear girl, but if you find yourself in an untenable situation, remember that it _is_ a powerful tool… and tools were made to be used."

"Koudelka said that only those of purest or most tainted soul can truly use the bible," Alice said quietly, "will you not journey with us, Master Zhuzhen?  I am sure that you are far purer than I."

"Him? Pure?" Yuri jerked a thumb at the old man.  "Don't make me laugh."

Zhuzhen uttered a gusty sigh.  "Sadly," he lamented, "the boy is correct – I am not as sinless as I should be, nor am I as strong of body as in my younger days. I fear that if I were to attempt to draw on the Bible's powers, I would cause far more harm than good.  No, Alice… as much as I would love to take it from you, your purity dictates that this is a burden you must shoulder alone."

"Well, not _alone_," Margarete said dryly, slapping Alice _almost_ playfully on the shoulder.  "We'll be with her."

Alice rubbed her shoulder and glared as Yuri nodded.  "That's right," he said boldly, "and if anyone's taking her purity, it's gonna be me!"

"Yuri!"

Zhuzhen winced as Yuri's face was introduced to first Alice's, then Margarete's open palm.

"Ow…"

"I'll make preparations for your departure," he sighed, grinning as he turned away, "and I'll get you some ice."

**

"Yuri?"

Yuri sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes as a weight settled onto the edge of his bed.  "'s'it time to go?" he murmured blearily.

Under normal circumstances, he would have been out of bed the second his door opened… but it had been a very long, very taxing day, and with the spells of protection Zhuzhen, Alice, and Keith had all cast on the inn, Yuri felt safe enough to let his guard down and actually _sleep for once._

"No," the soft voice whispered, "I just… came to say I was sorry for slapping you so hard."

Yuri blinked in the darkness, trying to pick out the shape of the woman intruding in his room.  "Margarete?"

"Call me Malkovich when I break and enter," the spy replied with a soft laugh, "you know I get a kick out of that."

Yuri shivered as a soft hand settled against the center of his chest.  "Mar-"

"Shh," Margarete whispered, "don't move."

Yuri felt his breath catch in his throat as Margarete leaned forward, brushing her lips against his cheek.

"There," her breath tickled his ear, "all better."

He could feel Azreal's Tear tap his shoulder as the woman slowly brought her lips around from his cheek, barely grazing the corner of his mouth as a shuddering breath escaped her.

"I, umm… sleep well," Margarete blurted, quickly rising to her feet and taking a step back, "we've… gotta get an early start."

"R-right," Yuri muttered, trying to decide if she had meant to do that or if it had simply been an accident.  "G'night."

Suddenly, Margarete was back on the edge of the bed… and this time there was no mistaking that her lips meant to find his. Before Yuri had a chance to return the kiss, or even blink for that matter, she was gone, walking quickly from his room without so much as a backward glance.

Slowly, he leaned back in bed and stared at the ceiling, trying to make sense of what had just happened… and trying to pin down exactly how he should feel about it in light of what Alice had told him moments before stealing into her room and locking the door.

Half an hour later, he rolled onto his side and closed his eyes, deciding that it would just have to wait.

Continued…__

Author's Notes: well I guess the old expression, 'it's always the last place you look' doesn't really apply here, now does it?  ^_^  Why have the Bible just lying around, you ask?  Well, two reasons really… first, I didn't want this to be a story about _finding the Everblack Bible, I wanted it to be a story about what happens once they _had_ it.  If I had them looking all over the place before finding it, this would end up being a long, __long story – because I have _several_ little adventures planned for our little group now that they have it.  The second reason is… ummm… ok, I forgot the second reason, but the first is pretty good, no? _  Oh wait, I just remembered the second reason – it would have been cliché!  :D  You always see the heroes going off into a dungeon or tower or Place That No One Else Dares to get the Mystical Item of Power… so I figured hey, why not just have them stumble across it?  Who put it there? Well… wait a chapter or three and I'll tell ya. ^_~_

Big thanks to Aegis for pre-reading again.  She just rules. ^_^

Feedback is welcome on this site or by e-mailing me directly at random1377@yahoo.com


	7. Blackest Night

Disclaimer: see Verse 1.

The Everblack Bible

Verse 7

Blackest Night

By Random1377

Alice awoke with a start, her heart beating hard in her chest as her eyes darted around her room.  "Is someone there?" she called uncertainly, clutching her blanket close to her chin as she squinted into the darkness.

_I should be able to see some light from the moon, shouldn't I?_ she thought nervously, jumping slightly as something looking like a snake loomed over the chair at the foot of her bed.  _Just my stockings, she told herself, trying to relax, _and I closed the blinds before I turned in – my God, I'm becoming paranoid!__

She leaned back on her pillow and drew a deep breath.  "Just calm down," she told herself, "we leave tomorrow…"

Several deep breaths later, she was feeling much better about life.  _Yuri, she thought, feeling a touch of crimson warm her cheeks, __why didn't you answer me??_

**_"I want to spend more time with you,"_** Alice could hear her own voice echoing in her mind, the memory of Yuri's broad chest making her arms twitch slightly in remembrance, **_"I… I really like you, Yuri… do you like me too?"_**

_Can't believe I said that,_ she thought ruefully, pulling her blanket tighter around her shoulders, _but… but at least he held me back, even if he didn't really answer._

**_"G-get some sleep,"_** Yuri's voice had been so awkward and unsure as he put his arms clumsily around her, **_"we'll umm… can we talk about this later?  I'm really wiped out and I don't… I don't want to say something stupid, you know?"_**

Alice sighed and rolled over.  "Don't make me wait too long," she whispered, "I just don't think I can-"

Her voice died in her throat as her stocking moved.

_Wha__… NO!!_

When Alice had first met Yuri she was a meek, easily frightened little girl, prone to fainting spells and running from danger… however, traveling with a man who could merge with demons, and fighting 'God' itself – as well as countless other denizens of Hell – had changed her outlook on life.

For one thing, she was far less prone to freeze in a dangerous situation.

"Ahh!!"

With a cry, Alice tore her covers back and leapt out of bed, terror lending her the extra speed she needed to avoid the tentacle she had mistaken for her stocking as it shot forward and crashed into her headboard.

"Yuri!" she cried, "Margarete!  Master Zhuzhen!!"

A sickening feeling rose in her stomach as she realized that her voice was not going past her door.  _Silence Sphere, she thought, eying the tentacle as it pulled back to the darkest corner of the room, __impossible!  We were so careful to ward the inn!_

She swallowed as she realized that the corner of the room was writhing, a tangle of black, snake-like tentacles twisting and undulating around a hulking mass of dark, thankfully indistinct flesh.

_How did it get in?_ she thought, taking a quick look at the closed window.  _…how do I get out??_

The creature uttered a groaning, frustrated sounding mewl, its two white tentacles waving in the air in a questioning, seemingly random pattern.

_It's blind!!_

The truth of this thought hit Alice like a hammer, making her gasp in shock… and in a second, the creature spun to face her, its tentacles lashing out with unerring accuracy and forcing her to dive to the side, making every attempt to land as lightly as she could.

_Think… THINK!!_  She knew she could not cast any spells – the creature would be on her before she could cast so much as a simple protection spell, and she had never been very good at hand to hand combat.  _That's it!_

Without pausing to think any further, Alice grabbed the vase of flowers off of the dresser in her room and hurled it at the window.  Praying that the shattering glass would be more attractive than the sound of her feet, she dashed to her wardrobe and yanked it open, all but ramming her hands into her backpack as the creature gave another of its sickening cries.

"Wuff!" 

The air left her lungs in a rush as something warm and clammy wrapped around her waist, yanking her off her feet.  _Just… another… moment…_ she thought, gasping for breath as the thing tightened its hold, driving the last of her breath from her and making black spots dance in front of her eyes.  _Th__-there!_

Offering up a prayer to God, Alice whipped Draze out of her backpack and pointed it over her shoulder, pulling the trigger as quickly as she could.  Over and over she blindly fired the heavy weapon, each shot punctuated by a short gasp as the tentacle spasmed around her until finally… it loosened, dropping her to the floor in an undignified heap.

Taking only a second to draw a deep, thankful breath, Alice shot to her feet, trying to steady Draze in both hands and aim at the same time.

She need not have bothered.  The creature (she had never seen one like it before, and was at a loss to name it) lay slumped in the corner of the room, a myriad of bullet holes all around its misshapen frame… and a single hole directly through the center of its body.

"Th-the Lord is m-my shepherd," she gasped, ejecting the gun's cartridge and swallowing hard as she found it empty, "forgive me my trespasses, Lord…"

Had she more time, Alice would have offered a more proper prayer – even monsters deserved last rites, as far as she was concerned – but if this was in _her_ room… who knew what the others were facing?

Quickly crossing herself with Draze, she tossed the empty weapon onto the bed and picked up her backpack.  _Damnation!_ she thought angrily, disturbed by the eerie quiet, _Why can't I ever find anything when I need it!? In the blackness of her room, her backpack's contents all felt the same… and for the life of her, she could not find any of her bibles. __There!  There's one!_

She yanked the bible out of her backpack and dashed to the door, flinging it open and finding herself face to maw… with a nightmare.

"Get down!"

Alice dropped to the floor as a Basilisk leapt at her, all snapping jaws and sharp talons.  The creature, not expecting her to vacate the space she was in so fast, hurled over her, a hail of buckshot following it into her room as someone behind it sent it off to meet its maker.

"Th-thanks!" Alice gasped, scrambling to her feet and scanning the inn's chaotic hallway.

Margarete, who did not pause to acknowledge the thanks, was pumping another shell into her ten gauge shotgun and leveling the weapon at another Basilisk, doing her best to avoid eye-contact as she pulled the trigger.  A ways down the hall, Zhuzhen was using his staff to fend off a swarm of Wind Shears, noisome monsters at best when faced one at a time, but a decided danger when they attacked in groups.

_But they don't attack in groups!_ Alice's mind protested.  _They're solitary – they live alone or with a mate… they never attack more than two at a time – three at the most!_

"Yuri," she gasped, "Where's Yuri!?"

"Haven't been able to get to his room," Margarete panted, pumping the shotgun again and sweeping the hall for more targets, "I was just on my way over there… wanna come?"

Alice, who was always amazed with Margarete's cool under fire, nodded quickly.  "Yes, definitely!  How long has this-" 

"Minutes," Margarete cut in, "just heard something in my room, and bang – something was trying to kill me.  Must have been the same for the old man."

"Be gone!!"

Alice covered her ears as an enormous whooshing sound filled the hall, the smell of burning wood and flesh assailing her nostrils as Zhuzhen's Fury Dragon, a derivative of the ice-based Fury Serpent, roared through the small space, decimating the Wind Shears in the blink of an eye.

"Now then," the old adept said grimly, "I suggest we find out if-"

Before he had a chance to finish, the door to Yuri's room exploded outward, spilling the man out into the hallway in a jumble of limbs and curses.  "Just _die!" the harmonixer screamed, bracing one leg under himself and pistoning his right hand up and forward, connecting solidly with the throat of the beast lumbering out of his room and dropping it to the floor like a sack of rice._

For a moment, all was still.

"About time you guys showed up," Yuri gasped, finally pulling his Nightbird Claws free of the monster's neck, "_now_ it's a party!  Who brought the drinks?  Man, we should get Keith down from his castle to join in… toast some marshmallows.  It'll be fun!"

"Impudent boy," Zhuzhen muttered, grinning in spite of himself, "you never had the sense to know the difference between a party and a wake!"

"Well, I ain't about to be the guest of honor at a wake, old man," Yuri shot back, rising to his feet and nodding as he counted his friends, "so the way I see it, this must be a party to celebrate us finding that stupid bible."

"Hmm," Zhuzhen hummed, "I'm sure it was meant to be both." 

"So you gonna use it?" Yuri asked, nodding towards Alice, "Or just stand there looking sexy?"

Alice blinked.  "Sexy…?" she echoed, glancing down and letting out a brief shriek of dismay as she realized she was clad only in her undergarments.  "No!  Don't look!!"

"Tall order," Yuri grinned, taking in the exorcist's barely covered body, "I like that color on you, though, very demu-"

"Shh," Zhuzhen hissed suddenly, "Something's coming…"

Alice's brow furrowed, her discomfort momentarily forgotten as a low buzzing resonated in her ears.  "Gate…?" she whispered, jumping slightly as the word echoed.

"It would have to be big;" Zhuzhen replied uneasily, "a Gate normally takes a few seconds to cast…"  He glanced around.  "I think leaving would be a very good idea."

"Master Zhuzhen!"

Alice's eyes went wide as her Demon Eyes picked up the telltale rippling of a Gate.  _Huge,_ she thought, pointing in mute horror as the others looked at her, _he's right… it's absolutely enormous – and there's nowhere to run!_

This last thought made her shoulders slump, as truly… there was no way to get far enough from the center of the sphere to be completely shielded from the backlash of such a large release of energies.

"Everyone hold on to something!" Zhuzhen cried, "It's coming through!!"

Alice took two quick steps forward and threw her arms around Yuri's chest, closing her eyes and ignoring the irrational jealousy that welled up in her as she felt Margarete do the same.  _No time, she thought desperately, __there's no time for that!  Koudelka!  KOUDELKA we're in trou-_

Her thought went unfinished as the inn simply exploded, chunks of wood and plaster flying everywhere as the force of the blast sent Alice reeling into a pool of darkness.

**

**_"_****_Alice_****_… _****_Alice_****_ wake up…"_**

Alice could hear her father's voice, urging her to wake up for school.  "Don't want to, daddy… too tired…"

**_"But _****_Alice_****_… everyone is waiting for you!  Be a good girl, now…"_**

"Don't want to," Alice mumbled, "too tired… and I'm all sore…"

**_"Your friends are waiting… wake up, _****_Alice_****_ – wake up now."_**

"Daddy…?"  Alice's eyes snapped open.  "Daddy?!?"

She coughed, rolling onto her side as the sounds of flame and gunfire assailed her.  Her father was nowhere to be seen… nor should he be, considering that he had been dead for over a year, but his voice had been so clear – so distinct – that Alice was sure she would have found him standing over her with a soft smile on his face had she just opened her eyes one second sooner.

As it was, the sight that greeted her left her breathless and awed.

Where the inn once stood there was only burning wood and dancing fire, above which a towering monstrosity rose, its five heads roaring in anger as they repeatedly dove down to snap at the comparatively tiny figures worrying at its mammoth body.  _Dragon, Alice thought dizzily, forcing herself to her feet, __five… heads?_

Her eyes widened with horror as she realized what she was looking at.

This was not just any dragon – this was _the dragon.  Tiamat... the five headed chromatic dragon of the Abyss, her multicolored scales gleaming wickedly in the dancing firelight like a handful of beautiful, cursed gemstones as she stamped her gigantic feet in rage._

_She's real,_ Alice's head spun as she noticed that the shapes dancing around Tiamat's body were Yuri, Zhuzhen, Margarete, and even Keith (drawn, no doubt, by the enormous explosion that had leveled the inn), their weapons small and pathetic as they tried desperately to harm the huge beast.  _We're doomed!  Tiamat is… is a god!  It would take another god to…_

"Seraphic Radiance!"

It was such a simple thought: use a god to fight a god.  All Yuri had to do was summon the Seraphic Radiance and use it to defeat Tiamat!

As she opened her mouth to call out this suggestion, another sphere of energy bent the space directly in front of her… and to her amazement, resolved itself into the shape of, "Koudelka!"

The brown haired woman nodded, glancing grimly over her shoulder at Alice.  "Sorry I couldn't get here as soon as you called," she said, shouting to be heard over the noise of the fight, "but I had to find this!"

Alice's eyes widened as Koudlka brandished a huge, organic-looking blade, its gray edge gleaming wickedly in the firelight.  "Sacnoth," she breathed, amazed to lay her eyes on such an amazing relic, "How did you-" 

"It's a long story," Koudelka cut in, "where's Yuri?"

After a quick look around, Alice spotted him.  "He's over there," she said, pointing with her free hand, "I'll cast-"

"Nothing with that!" 

Alice blinked at the sudden rage in the woman's voice.  "What?"

"Where did you find it?!" Koudelka demanded, the dragon momentarily forgotten, "Did you meet Fletcher?  Speak up, woman!"

Slowly, Alice raised her hand.  "Where did…" she trailed off, biting her lip as she tried to understand why the Everblack Bible was in her hands, its dark spine now glowing with silvery characters.

"Ahh!" Koudelka screamed, shaking her head from side to side, "Forget it!! Just stay back – tell me everything as soon as this is over!"

Alice nodded dumbly as the older woman turned away and dashed toward the fight, Sacnoth held high.  _Amazing, Alice thought, mesmerized as Koudelka leapt into the fray, __she's so strong!  And that sword – Sacnoth!  She could actually make a difference with that!_

Even as Alice watched, the Everblack momentarily forgotten, Koudelka made her attack, swinging Sacnoth high over her head and bringing it down in a wicked arc on Tiamat's left flank.  Black blood immediately poured from the wound, and the dragon threw all of its heads back, shaking the ground with her cry of pain and rage.  For one shining moment, Alice thought it would be ok.  Bolstered by Koudelka's success, the others pressed their attacks.  Margarete fired shot after shot, aiming for the open wound.  Zhuzhuen wove spells of protection, doing his best to fend off the creature's counterattacks.  Keith's blade, the demon sword Tyrving flew, digging long, but shallow scratches in Tiamat's hide.  And Yuri, taking a step back from the fighting for a moment, folded his arms, clearly intending to harmonize.

And then it all came apart.

"NO!" Alice's cry of dismay was both ineffectual and belated, altering the event's outcome not so much as one iota.

One moment, her friends were doing well – fighting, defending, and actually pressing the dragon back several massive steps, and the next… Tiamat simply inhaled, a huge, all-encompassing intake of breath, and spat with all five of her heads, bathing the entire group in magical fire, ice, acid, lightning, and gas.

The ground at Tiamat's feet was decimated, and in the blink of an eye, Alice's entire party was sent flying through the air, crashing to the narrow street with mind numbing impact.

"No," Alice whispered, her eyes shooting from Keith, to Margarete, to Koudleka, to Yuri.  "No!!"  Everywhere she looked, she saw only stillness.  None of her friends so much as twitched, and in her mind, Alice could hear bones shattering and hearts stopping.

"_Noooooo_!!!_"_

Her anguished cry seemed to draw Tiamat's attention, and the dragon drew in another deep breath, bearing down on her with all of its hideous strength… but Alice simply stood still, the small bible in her hands drawing in every last speck of energy the monster exhaled, leaving her totally unscathed.

"Yuri," Alice whispered, her eyes focusing on his limp, open hand, "Yuri…"

To Tiamat, the tiny being before her was a mere annoyance.  She had been dozing fitfully in the Abyss when she had abruptly been Summoned to this pathetic human town.  It was no mean feat to Summon a creature such as she, for Alice was correct – Tiamat _was_ a lower-level goddess… but her mentally whispered instructions had been simple: 'destroy the humans in this town, and you will be sent home.'  Surely, the human that had summoned her had done so with the aid of a dragon orb or some other device, for the fear in his voice clearly indicated that he did not have the power to control her himself – and once her task was complete, she fully intended to learn who had wakened her from her slumber and destroy him.

But for now, she was tired… so she would simply complete her task and rest for a few decades – then have her revenge.

As she drew her breath for another attack, the human stirred… and Tiamat felt an unusual sensation stir in her breast – fear.  All ten of her eyes focused on the tiny black book held now in both of the human's tiny hands, recognition flooding her reptilian mind as she looked down at one of the five artifacts in the world that held the power to destroy her.

"Yuri," the human whispered the name again, her minute eyes burning with such anger that Tiamat knew the human intended to destroy her.

With all of her strength, Tiamat focused on the most powerful defensive spell she knew, chanting it in her draconian tongue even as the human began chanting her own spell.  Any thought of attacking was immediately cast aside – the Book would not allow it – so Tiamat simply prayed to her dark gods that her defenses would hold.

They did not.

Alice completed the chant, summoning forth the Advent and directing it with all of her rage at the immense dragon.  Deep in her heart, she felt a wicked spark of satisfaction as a beam of ethereal energy hammered the monster, driving through the thick magical shield it attempted to erect as if it was not there.

"I cast thee out," she whispered, tears of rage running down her face as she held the bible before her and chanted the spell of Banishment… the words rising up in silver from the Everblack Bible and burning themselves into her mind.  "_I cast thee OUT!!_"

Abruptly, Tiamat was gone – disappearing mid-scream as the powerful spell blasted her back to the depths of the Abyss.

"D-damn," Yuri's cough drew Alice's attention, "Didn't… know you could do that…"

In her mind, Alice could feel herself breaking apart.  "I couldn't before," she whispered, feeling stunned by the words coming from her mouth.  "But with this… I could kill God himself."  She raised the Bible to eye level.  "Just say the word – and I can do anything!"

There was a moment of silence, broken when Zhuzhen coughed and struggled to his feet.  "Let… go of it, Alice," he coughed, falling to his knees and resting heavily on his staff, "let… go of… your anger and desire – don't let them own you."

"So that's how it works," Margarete whispered, looking much better than Zhuzhen as she staggered over to Yuri's side, absently tucking her pendant back into her shirt, "whatever you want, you get – if you sacrifice your soul.  Nice book."

"Don't anger her," Zhuzhen hissed as Alice's eyes narrowed, "she is not herself… nor is she soulless.  She is doing what she thinks is right – as seen through the Bible's black mirror."

These words resonated in Alice's mind.  _He's right, she thought distantly, __but… but I could do so much with this!  I'm so powerful with this… NO!  Don't think that way… I-_

"You only know half of the story," Alice said slowly, clutching the Everblack Bible close to her chest and ignoring the argument in her head.  "You have no idea the wrongs I could right with this Bible… you have no idea how powerful it is!"  Abruptly, she laughed.  "No one knew!  No one had any idea how strong it was – how dark it _is!  I could blot out the sun if I wanted to!"_

"But you don't want to," Zhuzhen pointed out gently, raising one hand as Koudelka and Keith both found their footing… and raised their weapons, "you know it would hurt people."

Alice's smile faltered.

"The Everblack Bible is a tool," Zhuzhen reminded her, "use _it_… don't let it use _you_.  Remember _why_ you drew on its power in the first place – it wasn't to blot out the sun, or kill God," he cleared his throat nervously, "just remember _why, Alice."_

Slowly, Alice folded the Everblack closed.  "I can't… put it down," she managed falteringly, "it… my hands won't open."

_I don't WANT to put it down,_ a dark voice in her mind whispered, _Oh__ the things I could DO with this bible!  The world is-_

"Can you give it to me?"

Alice's eyes widened as Yuri stepped closer to her, his hand outstretched.

"Can you hand it over to me, Alice?" he asked quietly, "I won't let it hurt you again, ok?  But can you… hand it to me so I can-"

"No," Alice cut in hollowly, "it can't be taken from me – only I can let it go… and if I do, you cannot keep it from me."  Everyone drew a sharp breath as she thrust her arm out.  "I can't let you keep it from me because it must be destroyed… and since I'm the one that's used it, I'm bound by fate to be the one to carry it to destruction."  She drew a deep breath. "This is my word… this is my bond."  Her hand opened, and the Everblack Bible fell to the street.  "We're going to Naples."

With this final proclamation, Alice's eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed, falling into Yuri's arms with a very, very tired sigh.

Continued…

Author's Notes:  Ok, ok, so it was a _bit_ predictable that she would pull the Everblack out of her backpack – sue me!  Wait, wait!  Don't sue me, I'm poor!! Ummm… sorry for the cliché.  Is that better?  ^_^  I was going to have it so she had to consciously _choose_ the Everblack, but I decided I liked this spin better. I mean, it was dark, she was scared, her friends were in danger, she was just jumped by a nasty monster – she probably wouldn't be in a very careful frame of mind, you know?  And besides… who's to say the Everblack didn't _make_ her choose it?  Hmm? HMMMM??  *evil cackle*  Ahem, anyway, look forward to more info on the Everblack's capabilities and limitations in the next chapter – and remember, no one likes a five headed dragon crashing their sleepover!  :P

Pre-read on this chapter was by Aegis, who agreed that having Tiamat pissed off at you would really ruin your day.

Feedback is welcome on this site or by e-mailing me directly at random1377@yahoo.com


	8. Sorrowful Hymn

Disclaimer: see Verse 1.

The Everblack Bible

Verse 8

Sorrowful Hymn

By Random1377

Dawn broke quietly over the hamlet of Bistritz, shining warmly down over the small group gathered in front of shattered remains of the inn.  The townspeople had chosen, wisely, to stay in their homes until given some kind of sign that all was safe, and so far… that sign had not come.

Alice pulled Yuri's overcoat tighter around her shoulders, shivering slightly as she gazed upon the ruins of the building that had so recently surrounded her with comfort and warmth.  _Everyone's so serious,_ she thought sadly, discretely glancing around at the grim faces of her companions, _Lord, please watch over us… our road seems so difficult right now…_

"Ahh screw it," Yuri muttered suddenly, turning away from the wreckage, "let's get going… no use bumming around here anymore."

"B-but," Alice stammered, swallowing as everyone turned to face her, "shouldn't we, umm… help, maybe… clean up… or… or something…?"

Keith regarded the remains of the inn for a moment before shaking his head.  "No," he said calmly, "I will take care of this myself – if Master Zhuzhen feels inclined to lending a hand."

Zhuzhen bowed, hiding a look of embarrassment at what was clearly an effort to keep him out of the fray.  Keith smiled reassuringly as the old man straightened, clapping him on the shoulder and nodding solemnly.

"That's settled," Maragarete said lightly, pulling at the bottom of her singed skirt, "how about you, 'Delka?  You coming?"

Alice turned her attention to Koudelka, waiting for the woman to reply.  _She hasn't said much since Tiamat vanished,_ she thought nervously, _and she wouldn't let me heal her, I hope she's ok…_

"No," Koudelka said softly, rising from where she had been kneeling at the outskirts of the wreckage, "there would be… complications if I traveled with you."

Alice stifled a gasp as the woman turned towards them, revealing a face now unlined by age or experience.  "K-Koudelka," she stammered, "wh-what, ummm…"

Koudelka smiled ruefully as the exorcist trailed off.  "Sacnoth," she said quietly, running a finger over her youthful features, "you see, this sword carries several rather powerful enchantments on it… one of them being the ability to heal the wielder's wounds by stealing a portion of its victim's life force," she glanced at Keith, "somewhat like a vampire actually… but," she averted her eyes, clearing her throat uncomfortably.  "I've never used it on a creature as powerful or long-lived as Tiamat… so I did not take into account what the results might be."

Zhuzhen folded his arms behind his back and scrutinized the woman closely for a moment.  "It seems to have worked rather too well," he said finally, "how old – if you don't mind my asking – are you, Miss Iasant?"

With the exception of Keith, already familiar with the mantle of timelessness, everyone's eyes widened as Koudleka whispered, "Thirty-four."

"No way," Yuri shook his head, "you… damn, you look younger than _her_," he jerked his head towards Alice, ignoring her look of indignation, "can you even _lift_ that thing?"

Koudelka frowned, pausing to pull her now-loose shirt back up to her shoulder before hefting Sacnoth high overhead.  "It knows its master," she said calmly, "but… but I'm afraid its… effects are…" she lowered the sword, her shoulders slumping as she concluded, "…permanent."

A rather long silence fell as the group considered the woman's plight.  _She really does look younger than me,_ Alice thought almost guiltily, _she could pass for eighteen – maybe even seventeen._

"So," Koudelka said finally, taking a deep breath, "I'm afraid that if I take another swing I could end up in diapers… or worse, I really don't know how powerful Sacnoth is – if this is what happens after one strike… it could very well carry me into nonexistence."

Sensing that the mood was too heavy, Yuri stepped forward and put his hand on the woman's shoulder.  "I'd change your diapers," he said, grinning broadly, "Hell, I'll take your pants off now if ya wan-"

"Yuri!"

The harmonixer flinched, instinctively closing his eyes in anticipation of a firm slap.  When nothing came, he cautiously opened one eye, finding Koudleka smiling at him.  "Thank you, Yuri," she said warmly, "but honestly, my… abilities grew more powerful as I got older.  I can't run the risk of encountering and fighting something that could render me incapable of protecting my son… can you understand that?"

Yuri shrugged, winking as he looked her up and down. "Sure can," he said easily, "but you better get going soon, otherwise you'll have to tell Halley that he's got a new daddy – because DAMN you look g-" 

Koudelka just shook her head as Margarete's hand clamped firmly over Yuri's mouth.  "Please ignore my uncouth friend's mouth," the spy muttered, yanking Yuri rudely away from the other woman, "he tends to lack sense in some… no, in _most_ situations."

"He is right about one thing," Zhuzhen murmured, giving Koudleka a final, appraising look, "you _should_ get going soon… you all should.  I wouldn't put it past whoever did this-"

"Jones," Alice cut in softly, "it had to be Jones…"

"I wouldn't put it past Jones to try again," Zhuzhen concluded quietly, "and… there are innocent people here."

"Let's go then," Yuri said briskly, shooting Margarete a disapproving glance as he finally managed to her hand off of his mouth, "sooner we start, sooner we finish."

The rest nodded in agreement and Keith, Zhuzhen, Yuri, Margarete, and Koudelka all started for the town gate.

"Wait! We can't leave yet!"

They all turned, finding Alice clutching Yuri's coat tightly around her body and blushing a brilliant shade of crimson.  "What's wrong?" Keith asked gently, "You're not hurt are you?"

"No, I ummm…" Alice's shoulders slumped.  "I… need some clothes…"

**

Margarete hoisted her backpack a bit higher on her shoulders and paused to wipe a bit of sweat from her eyes.  "Hills suck," she muttered flatly, casting a dark glance at Alice as the younger woman came along side her, "and this is _not_ the way to Naples."

Alice nodded, frowning absently as she consulted the map in her hands.  "I know," she murmured, "I just… there's somewhere I have to stop before we go there – I think it's important."

"And why, again, do you think we need to go way the hell out of our way?" Margarete asked sullenly.

"The Everblack told me."

Margarete pursed her lips as Yuri looked back at them, folding his arms and waiting for them to catch up.  "Right, that makes me feel better," she said sarcastically, "a cursed bible talks to you and you're heading the _opposite_ direction from the one place that can destroy it.  Good plan."

Alice colored slightly.  "Well, it didn't _talk_ to me," she said defensively, rolling her shoulders to get the riding dress she had borrowed from Michelle to rest a bit more comfortably on her frame, "it's more like it just… put the information in my head."  She shrugged helplessly.  "I don't know how to describe it better, except maybe to say that it's more like _my_ memory now… does that make sen-" 

"Nope," Margaret cut in dismissively, "the only thing that makes sense is destroying that thing before another god drops on our heads."

With another frown, Alice looked the older woman up and down.  "Speaking of gods," she said quietly, ensuring that her voice did not carry to where Yuri was standing, "you look pretty good for having just fought one."

Margarete glanced at her from the corner of her eye.  "What are you trying to say?"

Alice took a deep breath, resisting the urge to just shut up in the face of the older woman's pursed lips and dangerously narrowed eyes.  "I'm trying to say that you should trust us," she said quickly, "you… no one can get hit that hard and just walk away – you should at least have a burn or a scrape or something, don't we deserve to know why you're not injured?"

"_You_ don't," Margarete pointed out flatly, raising her hand as the exorcist opened her mouth to retort, "and I don't appreciate your tone, miss – you sound like you wish I _had_ been hurt."

"No, no!" Alice said quickly, wetting her lips nervously.  "I just… you can tells us if you-"

"Drop it," Margarete cut in, "now.  I don't owe you, of all people, a damn thing, and I'm certainly not obligated to tell you every single aspect of my life just because we travel together."

Both women jumped slightly as Yuri suddenly stepped between them.  "Problem, ladies?" he asked quietly, looking from one to the other with an unreadable expression on his face.

_How much did he hear?_ Alice thought, studying his face as Margarete's back straightened unconsciously.

"No," Margarete said smoothly, offering the man a forced smile, "we were just… clarifying something."

"Huh," Yuri grunted noncommittally, "so you've got it all straight now… yeah?"

The two women shifted uncomfortably.  "Y-yeah," Alice said awkwardly, "we're… we understand each other now."

Yuri looked from one to the other, his lips pursed tightly together.  _He doesn't believe us,_ Alice thought suddenly, _Heavens, I guess I wouldn't either.  We look like we just got caught with our hands in the cookie jar._

"Good," the harmonixer said crisply, "because we're there."

Alice blinked, glancing around at the forest surrounding them.  _This… does look kinda familiar…_

Yuri gestured for them to follow him, leading them to the top of the small hill they were on and pointing to a small house nestled in another copse of trees.  "There it is," he said levelly, "The Dollhouse."

The trio gazed down at the innocuous little house, recalling the evil that had resided in it until so recently.  Silently they made their way to the front of the house, Yuri and Margarete watching Alice as she put her hand on the fence, staring up at the empty windows with a far-off expression in her eyes.

"Let's go," she said softly, starting for the door that led to the basement, "I think… we can learn something here…"

Yuri shrugged and started to follow, looking over his shoulder as Margarete made no move to join them.  "Coming?" 

"I'll watch the door," the woman said lightly, avoiding Alice's eyes, "you know – make sure no one sneaks in while you're checking things out."

Yuri, sensing the tension between the two, nodded slowly.  "Thanks," he said, sounding relieved, "we shouldn't be too long."

Margarete nodded, giving him an apologetic smile and lowering her voice so only he could hear her.  "Sorry," she whispered, "what you saw back there… I'll try not to let it happen again."

The harmonixer's eyes widened in mock surprise.  "I don't know what you mean," he said, sounding shocked, "I didn't see anything."  He offered her a quick wink.  "Nice to know I won't not see it again, though.  See you in a few."

Laughing, Margarete gave him a quick salute with the end of her ten-gauge, watching until the two had disappeared into the Dollhouse before heaving a deep sigh and settling with her back against the wall to wait.

**

Yuri squinted in the darkness, mumbling under his breath as they made their way towards the basement stairs.  "Why are we here again?" he asked grumpily, sidestepping a small group of rats that was feasting on something unspeakable.

"I just… need to double check on something," Alice said slowly, sounding as if her certainty regarding this side-trip had faded somewhat.  "It won't take very long."

"Good," Yuri quipped, pulling the door the basement stairs open, "I hate this pla-"

His comment was cut off as he stumbled on the first stair.

"Careful," Alice whispered, putting a steadying hand on his shoulder.  After a moment's hesitation, she stepped forward, slipping her arms around his chest and resting her head against his back.  "I… I know _this_ isn't the best time," she said haltingly, "but… when we get to the next inn… can we talk about what I said to you back in Bistritz?  Please?  It's – _you're_ – important to me… and… and I want to know if you feel the same about me."

Yuri said nothing for several seconds, then – just as Alice was starting to fear he would simply say 'no, now drop it,' – he sighed and put one hand over her folded arms.  "Yeah," he said quietly, "we'll talk about it at the next stop… ok?"

Alice felt some of the tension leave her shoulders.  "Thanks," she said honestly, leaning forward and almost pressing her lips against the back of his neck before blushing and pulling back.  "So, umm… let's hurry."

"Right."

Since Yuri made no move to push her hand away, Alice kept it on his shoulder, smiling happily as they made their way into the Dollhouse's basement.  When they arrived, however, she released him, stepping around in front of him and preceding him through the door to the small bedroom located directly in the center of the basement.

"Laura…"

Yuri frowned, folding his arms as he stared at the small figure sitting on a rocking horse in the middle of the room. Though it appeared as nothing more than a child's doll, Yuri knew that the being called Laura was much, much deadlier.  

His entire group had nearly lost their lives to the thing's unholy powers.

"Laura," Alice whispered, kneeling beside the still rocking horse and putting one hand on the tiny figure's hand.  "Laura… you're still here, aren't you?"  

There was no reply.

"She's gone," Yuri said softly, glancing uneasily around the dusty room.  "Let's get out of here." 

"It's ok," Alice went on gently, giving Yuri a patient, but kind smile.   "We're not going to hurt you anymore… we just want to talk.  Please, Laura?"

Yuri started as the horse slowly rocked once, as if movement caused it pain, and a small, somehow sullen voice whispered, "I don't want to… you're mean."

"_We're_ mean??" he exploded.  "Why you little-"

Alice raised her hand, cutting him off in mid-tirade.  "Laura," she said, her voice low and soothing, "I know how hard it must have been to be all alone, and I'm sure… I'm sure that you didn't _mean_ to hurt Lillith… so, please – I need to ask you about something."

There was a moment of silence.  "Will you play with me…?" Laura asked, the longing in her voice too naked to hide.

Yuri opened his mouth to reply, 'hell no!' but before he could speak, Alice whispered, "Of course we can, Laura.  In fact, if you want… you can come with me and I'll play with you every day – would you like that?"

"What are you doing!?" Yuri demanded, gesturing to the decimated room.  "_This_ is how _it_ plays!!  Are you craz-"

"She's a good girl," Alice cut in, her voice low and soothing, "she was already alone for so long when Ewan found her and gave her to Lillith that she forgot how to play nice."  She looked up at Yuri, her eyes shining with pity.  "She was alone for three hundred years, Yuri," she explained quietly, "ever since… someone made her with the Everblack Bible."

Yuri drew a sharp breath as a soft, childish giggle issued from the doll.  "You found Daddy's bible!" Laura tittered.  "You're a Shadow Heart!"

"What's a Shadow Heart?" Yuri asked, putting his hand on Alice's shoulder and pulling her back, away from the doll.

"Daddy said only Shadow Hearts can read _his_ bible," Laura giggled, her horse rocking a bit faster as she began to sing a jagged, uneven song.  "_Shadow Hearts, lost to the light, Shadow Hearts, happiness' blight, if your eyes, my black pages read, on your soul, I'll surely feed, Shadow Hearts, Everblack's friend, Shadow Hearts, bound 'til the end, only those, of purest light, can keep their souls, and master my night._"

"She's nuts," Yuri whispered, holding Alice's shoulder tightly as insane laughter filled the room, "there's nothing you can do for her, Alice."

Alice nodded reluctantly.  "I… you're right," she said sadly, "I just thought, if I become her friend…"

"You can be my friend," Laura said, an unmistakable note of mad glee in her voice, "we can play and play and play, just like I played with Lillith – but I won't break you like I broke her!  No, no!  I'll be niiiiice… and you can sing me songs from Daddy's bible!"

Alice shook Yuri's hand off and stepped closer to the doll, holding her hand out to the side to keep him from following.  "What's your favorite song, Laura?" she asked softly, drawing the Everblack Bible from her backpack and opening it without looking down.  "Show me what page it's on."

"Funny girl, clever girl," Laura laughed, her voice low and crafty, "you know which one is my favorite… you know how Daddy's bible works."

Yuri frowned as Alice's lips compressed into a thin line.  "Mirrors need not be silver," she whispered, "right?"

"Smart girl, stupid girl," Laura's singsong voice chanted, "Daddy's bible is too strong for your kind, lightkey."  Abruptly, the rocking horse stopped, and Laura's voice became cold and dangerous.  "Daddy won't let your kind hold it for long."

Alice closed her eyes.  "What was your Daddy's name?" she asked coolly, feeling a sudden tug from the Everblack Bible, as if it was trying to draw her attention to something on its inky pages.  "It wasn't… Bacon, or Simon was it?"

The rocking resumed, and instead of replying, Laura simply chanted, "Smart girl, stupid girl, funny girl, clever girl, damned girl, doomed girl, Shadow Heart Girl, lost girl, weak-" 

"Enough," Alice cut in flatly, "I won't act in anger, Laura… I know enough of the Bible to understand what will happen if I do."

"Stupid girl," Laura muttered sullenly, "Daddy's bible will have you anyway – you're weak and stupid and dumb!"

Alice considered this, giving the doll a sad look before saying, "Maybe, but I think… Yuri's right.  I can't hope for your salvation anymore, Laura, but I can-"

"Damn your salvation!" Laura burst, her voice growing to five times its normal volume.  "Stupid, stupid, pathetic lightkey – your soul will feed Daddy's bible no matter how much you pray to your stupid God!"

Yuri took a threatening step forward, but Alice simply bowed her head.  "Father in Heaven, hallowed be thy name," she said softly, her eyes scanning the page before her as silvery writing flowed across it, "your servant's humble request is only sanctuary, Father… please grant your servant her prayer, and bring this soul peace."

As far as Yuri could see, this simple incantation yielded no results.  "Alice?" he said after a moment of quiet.  "Alice, umm… are you ok?"

The young woman's eyes continued scanning the page for a moment before finally pulling away.  "I'm… I'm fine," she said reluctantly, closing the bible and slipping it back into her pack.  "Let's go."

"What about her?" Yuri asked, giving the doll a dubious glance.  "Shouldn't we do something about her now that we know she's not dead?"

Alice put her hands on Yuri's shoulders, waiting until he looked away from the doll and into her eyes before whispering, "She is now, Yuri… I freed her."

Yuri blinked, glancing back to the small figure and noticing that the rocking horse was once again still.  "Oh, I ummm… oh…"

A tired smile lit Alice's face, and she slowly leaned against Yuri's chest, sighing wearily.  "I wonder what she was like when she was first made?" she mused, feeling a little warmer as his arms tentatively encircled her.  "Do you think she really _was_ a good little girl before… before she was left alone all that time?"

"Don't know," Yuri admitted calmly, "maybe… does it matter, though?"

"I guess not," Alice yawned, "wow… that was… I didn't think it would be so hard."

Yuri held her a bit tighter as she sagged against him.  "Alice?" he asked uncertainly.  "Alice??"  He leaned back, studying her face and snorting with disbelief as he found her eyes closed.  _Asleep,_ he thought, baffled, _How could anyone fall asleep in a place like this??_  He frowned, the answer obvious even to him.

As carefully as he could, he lifted her into his arms, resting her head up against his shoulder as he turned for the door.  A soft 'thump' behind him drew his attention, and he spun around, prepared to let the girl go and fight, if needs be… but there was nothing there.  Scanning the room, Yuri found his heart unexpectedly filling with pity as he found the source of the sound.

Laura had fallen from her rocking horse, her tiny body lying face-down amidst the scattered and disturbing drawings on the floor.

"Rest in peace, huh?" Yuri called uneasily, wishing it was not so hard to look away from the pathetic looking doll.  "Just… yeah, rest in peace."

Without another word, he turned and strode quickly from the room.

Continued…

Author's notes: who ever thought Laura would be a sympathetic character, huh?  If, you know, you actually felt sorry for the nutty little thing… :P  So what have we learned from today's chapter?  Well, don't throw away your old toys, for one, but other than that… wow, I guess that's all we learned.  *shrug* oh well, hope you liked it anyway. ^_^

Pre-read assistance on this chapter was courtesy of Aegis, who didn't even comment once about the fact that it took me nearly a month to get it done!  …ok, maybe she commented once, but it was very politely. :P

Feedback is welcome on any page with reviewing capabilities or by e-mailing me directly at random1377@yahoo.com


	9. She Who Comes with Fire

Disclaimer: see Verse 1.  Also note that this chapter is a little… racier than the previous ones, and is a bit closer to the R side of ratings.  *cough* just so you know.

The Everblack Bible

Verse 9

She Who Comes with Fire

By Random1377

Margarete pushed herself away from the wall she had been leaning against as the door to the Dollhouse creaked open.  "What happened?" she asked, nodding to Alice's still form.

"She had to use that stupid book," Yuri muttered, shifting the exorcist's weight slightly in his arms, "but we got some good information."

"Really?"

"No," Yuri said sourly, "not really.  All we figured out was that the little doll thing in there was made by someone using the Everblack – that's it, unless she got more out of it than me."

Margarete pursed her lips.  "Well that's… nice," she said slowly, "now what?"

"I guess we go to that inn we passed a couple miles back until she wakes up," Yuri said hesitantly, "I don't know what else we _can_ do… do you?"

"No," Margarete shrugged, "I guess not…" she grinned suddenly, "of course, the place looked pretty small… might have to share a room."

Yuri unconsciously wet his lips, recalling with sudden clarity how the spy's mouth had tasted… and at the same time finding himself more and more aware of Alice's slender body, resting so easily in his arms.

"Might have to," he conceded a bit stiffly, "let's go."

Margarete's grin faded as she fell in step behind him.  _Hey God,_ she thought, keeping her eyes on the uneven terrain in front of her, _do me a favor, can you?  I'm not really good at this 'love' stuff, you know?  Well, of course YOU know, but anyway, I was always better at the wham-bam-thank-you-man kind of romance, and this heartsick stuff just isn't me… so… can you give me a hand here?  Help me figure out how to make him see that I'm not just-_

"Hey," Yuri said softly, cutting into her thoughts, "about ummm… about the other night."

"Yeah?" Margarete asked, her pulse quickening slightly.

Yuri was quiet for a moment, then he whispered, "We should… talk about that when we get a few seconds."

Margarete's grin returned, but she bit back her instinctual reply of 'why just talk when we can do so much more?' and went instead with a simple, "Alright."

Silence fell as they continued walking… but Margarete's mind was filled with chaos as she analyzed and reanalyzed Yuri's words and tone.  _He wasn't cold,_ she thought critically, _but he wasn't really like, burning with passion, either.  Then again, he IS holding __Alice__, so maybe he wanted to keep it cool for now, but when we're alone – ahh!! I feel like a schoolgirl!! Hey God… thanks, I owe you one._

Margarete's giddiness remained intact through their entire walk, fading only slightly as they reached the inn and Yuri insisted on staying with Alice until she awoke.  She longed to get those few seconds he had quietly mentioned, hoping against hope that they would reveal a desire as deep as hers… yet wondering if anyone could actually want another person more than she wanted him at that moment.

**

Alice woke with a start, blinking in confusion as she stared up at the ceiling.  "Where am I?"

"The best place on Earth," a voice chuckled, "well, potentially."

She blinked, leaning up to find Yuri sitting on the edge of her bed, laying a small paperback novel on the sheet and grinning down at her with unmistakable mischief in his eyes.  "This stuff is so trashy," he laughed, tapping the cover of the cheap romance with his forefinger, "I should take lessons from whoever wrote these – these guys get all the women."  He raised his hands suddenly.  "And before you go shouting 'pervert,' it was Margarete that got you dressed for bed, ok?  I closed my eyes the whole time!  …well, almost the whole time." 

Alice tried to return his smile, but for some reason, she could not manage it.  _Laura, _she thought dully, _I… I didn't WANT_ _to kill her.  Why did I do that?  It sounded so reasonable when we were down there, but now… God have mercy, I didn't even give her last rights!_  She shivered slightly as she glanced to where the Everblack was tucked into the inn's small wardrobe.  _Every time I use it; I lose another piece of my soul, don't I?_

"Hey," Yuri said quietly, his smile fading at the soft, slightly desperate squeak that worked its way free of Alice's throat, "it's alright… it's ok now…"

The exorcist sighed as once again, she found herself in Yuri's arms… but this time, she had no intention of just passing out – her feelings simply would not be contained anymore.  She wrapped her arms around his heavily muscled chest and purposely shivered harder, trying to push all of her fear out, entirely surrendering the ideas of decorum and restraint.

She was so tired of those ideals these days.  Being proper and polite all the time took so much effort.  When was she allowed to bend the rules?  When was it ok for her to be passionate and forward?

Damn it, when was it her turn to be _human_?

Alice tightened her hold on him, turning her face so she would not be speaking directly into his chest and trying to vocalize all of her fears and doubts even as they threatened to overcome her. "I k-killed h-her," she sobbed, "it was s-so e-easy!  Yuri, I _killed her!!_"

"Hey – hey," Yuri whispered, unnerved by the emotional tidal wave the young woman seemed to be building up inside, "it's… come on, Alice, you said it yourself – she was beyond salvation!  There was nothing you could have-"

"I didn't even try!" the young woman exploded miserably, "Yuri… what am I becoming?!"

Before he could reply, Alice pulled back, looking up at him with streaming eyes.

"S-stay with m-me tonight, Yuri," she hitched, tilting her face up and offering her lips to him, "stay with me a-all night, ok?  Don't let me be alone.  I can't stand it anymore!"

Yuri just stared, remembering her behavior after she first used the Everblack Bible… and trying to sort out the confusion of feelings as he thought of his promise to Margarete.  _Goddamn it!_ he thought tiredly, _could this get any more messed up?!_

Naturally, it could. 

Alice blushed as she realized just how bold she sounded, and she took his right hand in hers, staring into his eyes and trying to get her breathing under control as she carefully whispered, "I'm not asking you to make love to me tonight, Yuri… maybe… maybe someday – maybe even someday soon, but not tonight."  She brought his hand to her lips, kissing the palm as he gaped at her.  "I can't pretend that I don't love you anymore," she said simply, "and I don't want you to think that I'm throwing myself at you, but I do want to be with you, Yuri."  She swallowed, no longer able to meet his eyes as she concluded, "Please tell me you feel the same way – even if you have to lie, ok?  Just… for tonight – I'll worry about the rest tomorrow, but be mine for tonight… please."

She had barely finished speaking when Yuri slipped his hands under her arms and pulled her body tightly against his, bringing his lips down _almost_ all the way to hers.  "I wouldn't be lying," he whispered, looking from her lips to her eyes and back again as he tried to focus on the here and now and push thoughts of the blonde down the hall out of his mind.  "God, I want you so bad…"

Alice swallowed, feeling faint as she breathed, "Want, Yuri… or love…?"

A pained expression crossed the young man's face as he turned away.  "I don't know," he whispered hoarsely.  "So, umm… I s-should go."

As he tried to pull away, Alice's hands shot out, linking behind his neck and pulling him back into her embrace.  "Stay," she whispered quickly, bringing her lips closer to his, "Yuri… stay…"

Even though he was in possession of the soul of Seraphic Radiance, one of the most powerful beings on Earth, Yuri found that he was scared – not of hurting Alice, because he would never do that – but of not being able to control himself and making her do things she did not want to do.  She had already said that making love was out… but what if he lost it and did it anyway?  Even if she gave in and _let _him take her, wouldn't that hurt her more than any physical attack?  And what about Margarete?  He had already kissed her (well, she had kissed him, but he sure hadn't stopped her), so did that make him unfaithful somehow?  Should he just tell Alice that he needed more time to figure things out?

In spite of his misgivings… he found it very difficult to say no as Alice leaned up and touched her lips to his.  In an instant, he had pushed her back onto the bed, hungrily suckling on her delicate pink tongue as her breath rushed through her nose and tickled his face.

Alice felt like she was caught in a landslide, her reason and sensibility being buried under a ton of passionate kisses and fumbling, gently powerful hands.  _Wasn't I just saying… we shouldn't do this tonight?_ She thought dizzily, willingly lifting her hands as she felt a tug at the bottom of her nightshirt.

Waiting was somehow no longer as important as it had seemed a scant two minutes ago, and before she quite knew what was happening, Alice found her bare chest up against Yuri's and her fingers wrapped almost possessively in his spiked brown hair, soft gasps and sighs filling the air as she felt a hand first on her knee… then higher, moving towards the center of her being.

Her eyes snapped open as the fire of passion inside of her was quenched.  "Y-yuri," she panted, trying to pull free as words and rules flared in her mind, "Yu-yuri – please… s-st-hhhhuuhhh!!"

A strangled gasp escaped her as she felt his fingers making contact with her in the most intimate way possible, held in check only by a thin layer of fabric, and it was… incredible.  It felt strong, and hot, and demanding, and _right_ to have him touching her this way – as if her body was designed to react only to his touch.

"Y-yuri," she panted, hearing a buzzing in her ears as he began to massage her, "p-please… you have to… to stop… please!"

Yuri could not hear her – he was lost in the shaking of her body and the soft, almost maddening smell of her skin as he lapped and sucked at her shoulder.  _Flowers, _he thought distantly, making his fingers moving a bit faster and reveling in the pleasured cry his actions brought from her, _she smells like wildflowers._

Alice knew that she was losing her control, but all she could think of was an obscure text, only briefly read in one of the many arcane tomes she had been assigned during her training.

A certain rule about chastity.

"Yuri – you're destroying me," she managed, drawing a deep breath as his fingers hurriedly pulled at the last barrier between them.  "Please… Yuri…"

As he reached forward, intent on touching her directly for the first time, a desperate cry rang out in the small room.

_"You're destroying me!!"_

Stunned, Yuri yanked his hand away, quickly rising up on his knees as Alice curled herself into a ball.

"You're destroying me," she sobbed, "please stop… I'm so sorry, Yuri… but please… we have to stop now…"

**_"I'll do whatever you say – just don't hurt me, sir."_** Margarete's teasing words echoed in Yuri's ears, ringing of admonition and knowing.

_See?_ He thought, half weary, half angry, _I KNEW this would happen!  'Self control,' huh?  Well, old man – looks like you were right… I don't have any at all._  He glanced at Alice's panting, flushed, sweat drenched body, his eyes traveling over its soft curves to a number of small, clearly visible… bite marks.

_God… what AM I??_

Alice was lost in her memories.  **_"A practitioner must keep his body pure,"_** she remembered reading, **_"this simple rule, above all others, is most often overlooked – for while the effects of sullying oneself are not _**immediately**_ evident, the sins of the flesh will slowly eat away at the practitioner's will and very holiness itself, until he is no more than a common man… weak… defenseless against the darkness… and knowing exactly what his crime has been."_**

She opened her eyes, gasping as she found herself alone.  "Yuri, wait!" she called, grabbing her nightshirt as the door to her room swung slowly shut.  "Let me explain!!"  Struggling with the garment for a moment, she tugged it on and hurried to the door, flinging it open and finding herself face to face with a very grim-looking Margarete.

"You can't go out in that," the blonde said, the comment hitting Alice as absurdly out of place, "sit down."

"But Yuri," Alice countered, trying to push past the woman, "I have to g-"

"I _said_ sit down," Margarete grated, catching Alice by the upper arm and pulling her effortlessly back into the room.  Slamming the door behind her, she yanked the struggling girl close, hissing, "He's gone."

Alice froze, sensing the barely contained rage behind the older woman's voice.

"Good girl," Margarete grumbled, keeping Alice close to her and whispering dangerously, "Now you tell me exactly what happened – exactly what you did to make Yuri look the way he looked – or I will be very, _very_ cross with you, do you understand?"

Somehow Alice knew that making Margarete 'cross' would not be a good idea.  "It's… private," she said softly, trying to relax, since she knew that she was not going to be able to fight her way free of the other woman's powerful grip, "but if I find him now, I can make it right."

Margarete considered this for a moment, then slowly eased her grip.  "You can't go after him in that," she said simply, "he went straight for the door – and as dark as it is out there, you won't be able to find him… especially not if he doesn't _want_ to be found."

"Well I'll change," Alice said quickly, "and… and I can find him – I've got a prayer that-"

"A prayer?" Margarete snorted, feeling her composure slipping, "Honey, that's the one thing you _won't_ have if you hurt him again."

Alice blushed as she rummaged through her wardrobe for a traveling dress and any Bible besides the Everblack.  "I… didn't know he meant that much to you," she murmured awkwardly.

When she looked up again, Margarete's face was crimson.  "You should mind your own business," she snapped, "haven't you hurt him enough?  Don't give me that innocent face!  Look in the damn mirror, you little tramp, you've been leading him on for a year now – don't deny it!"

Alice wet her lips, choosing her words very carefully as she slipped her nightshirt off.  "I love Yuri," she said simply, "I'm not leading him on, I just can't… give him what he deserves right now – someday, yes, but not-"

"So you're a tease," Margarete cut in.

"No," Alice replied flatly, frustration and guilt overwhelming her normally polite exterior, "I'm an exorcist – but if I sleep with him, I won't be that anymore, I'll just be… I'll just be Alice."

Margarete's lips compressed into a thin line as she retorted, "So?"

Alice's shoulders slumped.  "So," she said softly, "I can't be 'normal' until I dispose of the Bible.  It's too dangerous to leave to anyone else – you saw what it did to me!"  She averted her eyes, unused to speaking so boldly as she concluded, "If I can save even one life by making sure the Bible is destroyed… isn't that worth a few more weeks of celibacy?  …isn't that worth a broken heart?"

There was a long, uncomfortable silence, broken when Margarete finally whispered, "Oh, well, ummm… I see.  That's… that's different then."

"I want to give myself to him," Alice said quietly, remembering the dress in her hand with a look of dull surprise, "and I will, when this is over."

Since her head was down, she could not see the pained expression that crossed Margarete's face.  _So there it is,_ Margarete thought sullenly, _I really don't know why I'm surprised – it's always been… _her thought trailed off as she spied the Everblack Bible, its spine barely visible at the back of Alice's closet.  _I didn't know it had… silver on it,_ she thought suddenly.

"I'm going after him," Alice announced, bringing Margarete's attention back to the conversation at hand, "I have to explain things to him."

"Yeah," Margarete nodded, frowning slightly as she took another look at the Bible.  _I wonder what it says,_ she thought curiously.

Alice, not noticing the other woman's line of sight, shifted from one foot to the other.  "Can you… look after things until I get back?"

"Uh huh," Margarete said, forcing a smile to appear on her face, "you go find him, I'll stay here."

_I can almost read it from here… maybe after she leaves, I'll just take one quick peek._

Hesitating, Alice said, "I'm really sorry."

As the younger girl hurried out, Margarete nodded again, but more to herself than in response to Alice's parting comment.  _Just… one… peek…_

Before the door had even swung shut, Margarete had crossed the room and wrapped her hand around the Bible's (too) warm binding.  Drawing it from its resting place, she flipped it open, a soft sigh escaping her as silvery words appeared on the pages.  With half-lidded eyes, and a disturbingly vacant smile, Maragarete began to read.

**

"Yuri!"

Alice paused to catch her breath, laying her hand on her _Holy Book of Martyrs_ and focusing on the image of Yuri's face she had selected as her marker.  It was a simple spell, and yet, since it required utmost concentration, she had not managed to learn it for some time.  Even the most destructive spells were not terribly complex; they simply required a great deal of power and focus.

And through the trials and tribulations she have overcome, Alice found that power was the one thing she possessed.

_Now if I could just have the wisdom to go with it,_ she thought dismally, turning right and starting to walk, _at least I can do this much… it's so dark tonight!_

She kept her hands firmly on her bible and glanced around nervously.  The threat of being attacked loomed over her, and being as how her magic – her only real defense – was not the fastest counteroffensive tool available, she decided it was best to have every edge possible.

A branch snapped in front of her.

"Yuri…?" she called hopefully.

A soft laugh was her response, coupled with a timely parting of the clouds obscuring the moon.  Alice gasped as she found herself at the edge of a small clearing, populated currently by three men – Yuri, another, taller man in a dapper looking jacket, and a small man with sandy blonde hair.

None of the three seemed to notice her, or if they did, they did not acknowledge it.

"Laugh at me again, and I'll break your neck," Yuri said flatly, cracking his knuckles threateningly.

The taller man smiled broadly.  "But surely you can see that my offer has merit," he said reasonably, clearly continuing a conversation already in progress, "you saw what happened to the girl when she read from the Bible… it could _easily_ be ten – or a hundred times worse next time.  Each hour it is in her possession weakens her, boy, it is only a matter of time."

"Don't call me boy," Yuri advised, his voice cold and hard.

_Jones,_ Alice thought suddenly, putting her hand on a tree trunk and leaning closer to get a better look, _that__ has to be Jones!_

The shorter man cleared his throat.  "Now, young man," he said reasonably, "there is no need to go losing your composure over-"

"I wasn't talking to you, old timer," Yuri cut in harshly, "and you can believe that when I get back, I'm making sure that _tear_ of yours is trashed!"

"Feel free to try," the shorter man said lightly, "but I think you will find your 'wife' rather reluctant to part with it… and truly, it is such a lovely trinket."

"Shut up!" Yuri ordered, bristling visibly.  "If you hurt her or any of my friends, you won't even know what happened to you – that's how bad I'll mess you up!"

"Ooo such strong words," the taller man exclaimed, clearly delighted.  "Are you going to summon one of your pet monsters to fuse with, harmonixer?  Maybe… show us your god-slaying might?"

Alice bit her lip as Yuri stared at the two, seemingly seeing them for the first time.  "Look," he said slowly, "you came at me like men instead of trying to jump me from the shadows… I respect that.  It's honorable and stuff, but I'm only gonna tell you one more time."  He looked taller man directly in the eyes.  "If you hurt any of my friends, you'll get hurt ten times worse."

"So you'll kill us ten times over?" the taller man inquired, his eyes shining with glee as his voice took on a conversational, almost jovial tone.  "Hey, I just want to make sure I understand the consequences if one of your young lady friends should happen to expire before her time."

"Mister," Yuri whispered, "if that happens, you're gonna find out that there are ways to hurt you haven't even _dreamed_ of."

Alice felt a chill work through her at the _honesty_ in her companion's voice.  _He'll use it,_ she thought suddenly, _he'll summon the Seraphic Radiance if they do anything to Margarete or me – I know it!_  Her hand gripped the tree a little harder as another thought occurred to her.  _He said he loved me… well, he didn't _say_ it, but I know he does – so would he go crazy, like the time he tried to fuse with the-_

A rustling sound cut into her thoughts, and she looked over her shoulder.  "Margar-"

Her voice died in her throat.

"Hello, Yuri…"

All eyes turned to the sound of Margarete's voice, and the taller man barked a short, harsh laugh of surprise.  "Well!" he exclaimed.  "Two unexpected visitors!  And one looking so… radiant."

If Alice had not been so filled with fear, she might have found the man's pun mildly amusing.  However, the sight of the tall blonde enshrouded in a flowing, ever-shifting blanket of angry red flame somehow stole the very humor from her… as did the sight of the Everblack Bible, clutched loosely in the woman's right hand as she strode right by Alice without so much as a single glance.

"Miss Zelle," the shorter man said politely, his eyes never leaving the bible in her hand, "you're looking very lovely tonight."

Margarete's face broke into a broad grin, but it never quite reached her eyes.  "You're threatening my Yuri," she whispered coolly, "you shouldn't have."

"I think," the taller man said, his smile somehow not as full as it had been, "that we should be going, my good man."

"Hmm," the shorter man hummed, "perhaps so, perhaps so."  He bowed formally.  "Always a pleasure, Miss Zelle."

The space around the two seemed to bend, rippling and warping out of shape in the now-familiar Gate spell… but before the two could disappear, Margarete raised her hand.

Alice clapped her hands to her ears as the two men suddenly screamed, their backs arching painfully as the glow that enfolded Margarete sprang into being around them.  "Stop it!" Alice cried.  "Margarete, please! You're killing them!"

"I think Yuri's been hurt enough in his life," Margarete said conversationally, her hand slowly balling into a fist as she completely ignored Alice.  "I don't think you should try hurting him again."

"Margarete!"

Alice's eyes flashed to Yuri, a wave of relief washing over her as she found him looking as nervous as she felt.

"Stop this," the young man said, his voice _almost_ firm.

"But darling," Margarete said brightly, "I can't have people trying to hurt you – you understand that, right?  I just can't have it."

Yuri cast Alice a warning glance, as if to say, 'don't you dare try to get into this,' and stepped between Margarete and the two screaming men.  He took a deep breath, and much to Alice's shock… he began berating the tall blonde.

"How dare you," he said flatly, "this is my fight, Margarete, how dare you try to make me look stupid!"

Margarete's brow furrowed.  "But Yuri," she said defensively, her voice still lacking any trace of its usual timbre, "I have to protect the man I love, you can understa-"

"You're embarrassing me," Yuri hissed, sweat breaking out on his brow as the struggles of the men behind him grew weaker, "am I a man, or am I a pathetic little boy?"

"A m-man," Margarete stammered uncertainly, "but Yuri I-"

"Is a man's place to be protected by a woman!?" Yuri snarled, startling Alice with the vehemence in his tone.  "Release them now, Margarete."

Instantly, Margarete's fist unclenched and the two men collapsed to the ground, one of them managing to re-cast the Gate spell, leaving the space behind Yuri empty.  "Sorry darling," she said humbly, "don't be mad at me… I just wanted to make you happy."

Swallowing hard, Yuri stepped closer to the woman, his eyes flicking to Alice in a clear, 'don't move' expression.  "Of course you do," he said soothingly, taking another step and raising his hands in a placating manner.  "Now let's get back, ok?  We've still got a long way to go."

Margarete gave him another of her brilliant, empty smiles.  "Oh let's not," she said giddily, "let's run off – the two of us!"  She threw her head back and laughed – a jagged, broken sound that grated on Alice's nerves like fingernails on a chalkboard.  "We can go anywhere we want to with this book, Yuri… it's so incredible!"  Her eyes took on an unhealthy gleam.  "That little tart wanted to keep you both for herself – I could tell… but I know you love me more, don't you darling?"

Though Alice knew what Yuri's response would be – _had_ to be, considering the situation – it still hurt that he was so quick to reply, "Yeah, of course – you know I love you most of all!"  She frowned as the young man's eyes drifted to something on Margarete's chest – something she could not quite see.

Margarete beamed, opening the Everblack Bible and glancing down at it, the flames around her shifting from red to an angry violet.  "I found this wonderful song," she whispered, her eyes scanning the pages, "I think you'll really like it, dar-" 

"Alice," Yuri shouted suddenly, "cure her – now!"

"R-right!" Alice fumbled, quickly bringing up her _Holy Book of Martyrs_.

"You!" Margarete hissed, the flames shifting once more to a dead black as she whirled on the younger woman, the black pages of the Bible turning on their own to a different page full of silver writing, "You… can't… _HAVE HIM!!_"

Yuri raced to Margarete's side and tried to reach through the flames to grab the Everblack Bible from her hands, but instead of intense heat, cold – unlike any he had ever known – leached the strength from his knees, sending him to the ground at the woman's feet as she glanced down into the book and began chanting.

Alice finished her incantation a bare moment before Margarete, the blue aura of the healing spell leaping into existence around the older woman.  _What does Yuri think this will do?_ she thought, wetting her lips as Margarete cut herself off in mid-sentence, her face taking on a most peculiar, almost confused expression.

Abruptly, the older woman threw her head back and cried out, the flames winking out of existence as if they had never been.  "Get the Bible," Yuri cried, rushing forward to catch Margarete as she collapsed.

Alice darted in, snatching the Everblack out of the older woman's grasp.  _What's… that…? _she thought, confused as she spotted a small, lingering twinkle of blue on Margarete's chest a moment before Yuri's shoulder blocked her view.  _It looked like a tear, but-_

"Let's get her back to the inn," Yuri gasped, still feeling the effects of the black flames as he hoisted the woman's limp body into his arms.

"But what about Jones?" Alice asked, nervously scanning the quiet clearing.

"Forget it," Yuri grunted, staggering towards the inn, "did you see what she did to them?  They're not coming back tonight."

"Right…"

Together, they hurried back down the path, too concerned about their fallen comrade to notice the dark, considering eyes watching them from the opposite side of the clearing.

Continued…

Author's Notes: As you can see… the rating on this chapter is a _little _higher than the others due to some *cough* unforeseen circumstances (hey, the story writes itself!  Any author can tell you that. :P)  Hopefully, the few readers of this story that are out there won't be discouraged.  And hey – was it just me, or was Margarete using the Everblack??  How could she, when she's not a magic user?  …hmm, how indeed.

Pre-read on this verse was by Aegis, who patiently sifted through the first 4 drafts and unflinchingly let me know which parts sucked so I could get them to at least a tolerable level. ^_^

Feedback is always welcome on any page with review features, or by e-mailing me directly at random1377@yahoo.com 


	10. A Brief, Relative Calm

Disclaimer: see Verse 1.

The Everblack Bible

Verse 10

A Brief, Relative Calm

By Random1377

Margarete stood silently watching the path before her, with one hand raised and her head tilted to the left in a clear attempt to hear better.  Her companions matched her stillness, though their poses – Yuri, crouched low to the ground, Alice with her hands together and her head bowed – were as different as their physical appearances.  After more than five minutes, Margarete lowered her hand.

"Ok," she sighed, "it's clear."

Alice groaned, reaching down to rub her right leg with a pained expression on her face.  "Thank goodness," she said honestly, "one more minute and I think my foot would have fallen asleep – I was standing on a rock!"

"What was it?" Yuri asked, staying near the earth and squinting into the forest as he tried vainly to pick up whatever had spooked the spy.

Margarete shook her head, shrugging her shoulders to move her backpack higher.  "Only caught a glimpse," she murmured, "but it was big, and hairy."  She considered Yuri for a moment.  "Kind of like you."

Yuri pursed his lips, ignoring the comment as he continued to scan the trees.  "Well, let's get going," he said finally, rising to his feet and twisting his body from side to side, "the map says there's an inn not too far away… and I want to sleep in a real bed for a change."

"Amen," Alice whispered fervently.

"You guys whine too much," Margarete chuckled, "but whatever keeps you going.  Come on."

She started off, leaving Alice and Yuri lingering for a moment.  "Is she really ok?" Yuri whispered softly, waiting until he was sure she was out of earshot.

"It's been a week," Alice pointed out just as quietly, "I'm sure she's fine."

"But do you believe that she doesn't remember anything about it??"

Alice considered this for a moment before slowly nodding.  "Yes," she said simply, "I trust her – and besides, it's very possible that the Everblack is somehow, I don't know, blocking her from remembering so it can…"

"Get her to pick it up again?" Yuri asked grimly.

"Possibly."  She regarded him from the corner of her eye for a moment before whispering, "We agreed that we wouldn't keep asking her questions about what happened that night… but you still haven't told me how you knew to Cure her."

Yuri grunted something indistinct, then raised his voice and said, "It's… I don't understand it myself, so I don't want to try and explain, you know?  If I'm wrong, it could end up hurting her, I think."

"Please?" Alice asked quietly.  "I think… I should know."

"Alright, I…" Yuri shrugged uncomfortably.  "When she was looking through the Everblack, I saw that little pendent she wears glowing the same color as your Cure prayer, and I swear – I SWEAR… I heard a voice in my head saying, 'Save me, Cure me, Save me, Cure me,' over and over… so I just… just trusted it."

Alice was horrified.  "But what if it was wro-"

"I know!" Yuri hissed angrily.  "I know!  That's why I didn't want to tell you – I don't know who's voice it was, I don't know what it wanted, I don't even know if we did the right thing by Curing her… I just… I don't know."

"Are you two coming??"

Alice and Yuri started as Margarete reappeared several feet down the trail from them.  "I could have been eaten by now," she grumped, "and as much as that idea appeals to me – if done right – I don't savor the idea of having it done literally, by a hairy beast!"  She grinned.  "Well, not ANY hairy beast."

Yuri shook his head and sighed as Alice went crimson.  "M-Maragarete!" she exploded.  "That's… you're so shameless!!"

Margarete just shrugged.  "Shame is overrated," she said brightly, "it's for old people and prudes like… well, like yourself for example."

"I am NOT a prude!" Alice sputtered.

_I'll say,_ Yuri thought, feeling suddenly tired.  Alice had not made any further advances since the night of Margarete's shocking display with the Everblack Bible… but every time he looked at her, the question was in her eyes: 'when can we be alone again?  When can I try to make it right?  How can I show you that I'm serious?'

She had explained to him, as they watched over Margarete's sleeping form, why she had pushed him away and why – though she wanted to very badly… she could not make love to him until the Everblack was destroyed.

Of course, to Yuri – who was still very much torn over which of his traveling companions he was more attracted too – this only served to increase his frustration.  Alice had told him, flat out, that she wanted to make love to him… and Margarate, though she had not said it verbally, had made it clear that she wanted the same, leaving Yuri in the very unenviable position of having to choose between two women he found immensely interesting and attractive.

Fortunately (if you want to look at it that way) he was spared the necessity of choosing until after the Everblack was out of his life, even going so far as to offhandedly mention over their campfire one night that he was looking forward to having the Everblack gone – because there was no way he could even _think_ of finding a girl to be romantic with until his mind was clear of that burden.

From that time, he had noticed, both women had been careful to avoid mentioning anything about love or dating while in his presence.  It had made for a quiet, though admittedly boring trip.

_And now we're getting close to __Naples__,_ he thought, ignoring the two women as they continued trading barbs back and forth.  _Six more days 'til we get there._

He blinked, holding out his hand as something caught his eye.  "Stop!" he called, bringing the others up short.  "We know you're there… come out now!"

Margarete and Alice scanned the forest around them, their semi-playful quarrel forgotten as Yuri continued staring straight ahead… but they gasped in unison as the threes around them shook and swayed, the foliage parting to reveal what seemed like hundreds upon hundreds of fierce, animalistic faces.

"Show yourself," Yuri said flatly, keeping his eyes locked onto the spot of orange he had seen peeking through the trees.

"You… dare call us out?"

Alice gasped as the trees parted and a huge, almost-humanoid shape lumbered onto the path.  Its limbs were thick as small trees, and its glaring, bright orange eyes were close-set and sunken.  This was no prey-creature… this was a hunter – and a powerful one, at that.  Its clawed hands dug up huge furrows of earth as it shuffled boldly forward to stand in front of Yuri, its flat snout scenting him with undisguised hostility.

At her side, Margarete swallowed, her lips barely moving as she surveyed the army surrounding them.  "Doomhounds…"

- - - - -

"What an interesting development."

The tall man sighed as he pushed himself upright, his muscles aching from the strain on them as he glanced to where the older man sat.  "What is it now?" he asked tiredly, "Can't you see that I'm trying to rest?"

"My apologies," the shorter man rasped, coughing weakly, "but it is our own fault for taking that book so lightly…"

"Who would devise such a curse?" the taller man lamented, bringing himself to his feet and making his way over to the chair opposite the other man.  "To leave a lingering trace of magic preventing a person from Curing himself is-"

"A stroke of genius," the shorter man nodded.  "It will pass in another day, my friend… then we may resume our quest."

"Indeed," the taller man sighed, steepling his fingers.  "Now what is so interesting that you felt the need to roust me, hmm?"

"Look there," the shorter man said, nodding to the ball on the table before him.

"A crystal ball?" the taller man asked, arching an eyebrow.  "How quaint."

"One uses what one must when one is incapable of performing ones own art," the shorter man pointed out sorrowfully, "let us be glad the effects are not permanent, eh?"

"Ahh, an excellent point," the taller man replied, inclining his head in a small bow, "so what have we here… oh my, it seems our friends have run afoul of our hairy servants.  Fascinating."

The shorter man coughed into his fist, shaking his head as he tapped the crystal with his forefinger.  "I find it more troubling," he said quietly, "because they have not yet torn the lovely Miss Elliot and her Cro-Magnon companion to pieces."

The taller man eyed his associate over the ball.  "I notice that you said nothing of Miss Zelle," he pointed out dryly, "but no matter… so long as the book is taken, eh?"

"Correct," the shorter man replied.  "Unfortunately, this crystal does not allow me to hear what they are saying, so I do not know yet why they are still alive… so I was hoping you could assist me.  You always were far more talented in the arts of trickery and observation."

"A compliment," the taller man murmured, "how droll.  Very well, let's see…" he leaned closer, squinting as he concentrated on the lips of the man currently displayed in the ball.  "'…know you've been following us,'" he whispered as if reciting, "'now tell me…'"

- - - - -

"…what you want," Yuri concluded, "or we won't go easy on you."

The doomhound – obviously the leader, by the way the others stood to the side and let it take the lead – chuckled, an ugly, braying sound that jangled the nerves like broken glass shards scrapped across loose gravel.  "B-bold human," it growled, "first to demand our presence… then to demand… information."

Its eyes flicked to Alice, and for the briefest moment she was sure that it nodded to her – just the briefest incline of its massive head – as if to acknowledge that it knew she was there.

_Strange,_ she thought, _it almost seems… respectful…_

She turned her attention to Yuri, who had not taken his eyes off the doomhound.  "Answer me," he said flatly, "or suffer, in the name of Gnosharthen."

Alice and Margarete both gasped as Yuri raised his fists, his Nightbird claws gleaming wickedly in the warm afternoon sun.  "Y-yuri," Alice whispered, taking a step forward, but freezing as the doomhounds took a corresponding step, closing around them like a noose.  "Don't… don't do this!!"

Ignoring her entirely, Yuri met the leader's eyes.  "What will it be, ancient one?" he asked formally, "Will you fight, or submit?  I demand your answer!"

The doomhound rose to its full height, loosing a roar that shook the forest all around them… but when Yuri simply continued staring, it slowly lowered itself onto its front paws and grunted, "I… submit, Godkiller. Bound by the name of our Father, we recognize your power."

Yuri nodded, lowering his Nightbird claws and putting his hand over his heart.  "The old ways are honored," he said, bowing his head respectfully, "and your Father's memory stands proud in our hearts.  Do you have any conditions before indenturing?"

"What's happening?" Margarete asked as the doomhounds all bowed low to the ground.

Alice was pale.  "It's… an old ritual," she barely whispered as Yuri and the leader of the doomhounds locked gazes, "I don't know how he knew about it, but I think… I think Yuri just made them his slaves."

"We have but one," the leader rasped, "vengeance against one who has wronged us."

Yuri looked unsurprised.  "Let me guess," he said coolly, "Jones."

Every member of the group of doomhounds hissed at the name, giving the impression that the forest was filled with enormous, furious serpents.  "Easy," Margarete whispered, putting a hand on Alice's elbow to keep her from pulling out one of her bibles.

The exorcist swallowed, nodding as she carefully drew her hand out of her backpack and held it up to show that it was still empty.  "Sorry," she whispered, sounding embarrassed, "I just… it was just a reflex."

_And can you blame me?_ she thought, licking her lips nervously as the doomhounds shuffled in a little closer.  _I can't even count them all… and as strong as Yuri is, I don't think he can take this many at once without Fusion – and I DON'T think they'll just stand by and let him use it._

"That… person…" the leader of the doomhounds gurgled, "must pay."

"Our goals seem to be the same," Yuri observed calmly.  "Alright – we have a deal."

Alice could not help thinking how absurd it looked when Yuri held his hand out to the doomhound, seemingly offering to shake hands with it… but when the creature casually reached out and drew its claw slowly down his forearm, leaving a long, shallow cut that immediately welled with blood, Margarete once again had to restrain the younger woman from calling on her powers.

"Our compact is sealed," the doomhound rumbled, bringing its claw to its lips and lapping the blood from it as Yuri winced in pain.  "With Blood and Earth, until the day you so command, we bind ourselves to your will."

Yuri nodded as the creature dug a chunk of dirt out of the path in front of him and ate it, its eyes never once leaving his.

Slowly, the doomhounds began fading into the trees, vanishing one by one through whatever powers they possessed until only the leader remained.  "We await your call, Godkiller Yuri," it said, rising to its full height.  "Forty days."

"Forty days," Yuri repeated, inclining his head, "you'll get what's promised to you, ancient one."

With a final bow, the doomhound turned and strode into the forest, leaving not so much as a bent leaf to mark its passage.

Margarete let out a long, deep breath that she had not been aware she was holding.  "Forty days until what?" she asked, wiping sweat from her brow.

Alice was staring at Yuri with a concerned expression.  "Until they come to kill him."

"WHAT??"

"Those are the conditions of the bargain," Yuri shrugged, turning to face the women.  "They agree to do anything I tell them to in exchange for my help in killing their enemy.  And if I can't do it before the deadline… they'll come for me instead."

"Well that's just stupid!" Margarete exploded.  "We should have just killed them all – you could have done it, I know you're strong enough to – so why-"

The expression on Yuri's face silenced her immediately.  "Look," he said flatly, "I _could_ have killed them all… if I burned this whole damn forest down and killed you two while I was at it.  Alice might have been ok – that stupid book probably won't _let_ her die – but you wouldn't… so tell me, should I have done it?"

Margarete averted her eyes.  "I… could have found a way out," she muttered awkwardly, feeling a touch warm as Yuri's intense eyes bored into her.

"No," he said bluntly, "you couldn't have.  There was so many of them that I would have needed to fuse with Seraphic Radiance and attacked them at once… I wouldn't have even had time to warn you."

There was a moment of silence, then Alice whispered, "Forty days isn't much time, Yuri.  What if we can't find Jones before that?"

Yuri shrugged.  "Then you two will hide somewhere while I take care of them," he said calmly, looking from one to the other as they blinked in surprise, "what, you think I'm just going to let them kill me?"

"But… but what about the compact?" Alice stammered.  "It's ancient law… can you really break it??"

"Guess we'll see," Yuri grinned, holding up his arm, "but for now… do you think you can do something about this scratch?  It hurts like hell!!"

- - - - -

"Oh he _is_ the clever one, isn't he?" the tall man laughed, leaning back in his chair as the crystal ball went black and wiping sweat from his brow with a handkerchief.  "But it seems our little pets are stronger willed than we thought."

"So it seems," the shorter man wheezed.  "I suppose we underestimated them, have we not?  I certainly did not expect them to break our compact so easily."

"Well," the taller man pointed out, "he _did_ issue them a formal challenge, and he _did_ offer them choice of fighting or submitting to him as their new master."

The shorter man nodded.  "But they did not even _attempt_ to fight," he whispered, tapping his forefinger thoughtfully against his lips.  "They have been indentured to us for three years now… what could give them the impetus to seek a new master?"

"We _have_ killed a number of their kind," the taller man said with a shrug.

"They should expect that as part of their servitude," the shorter man said, dismissively waving one hand, "it is the price for failure… and it has always been paid without question."

The taller man nodded thoughtfully.  "It is unfortunate that the doomhounds don't have proper lips," he lamented with a sigh, "I had no idea what it was saying, only the boy's replies."

"Such is life," the shorter man said tiredly.  "Well, no matter… we subjugated the 'hounds because they were our inferiors – and that has not changed."

"Ahh, but now they have the Godkiller on their side," the taller man mused, "I believe… our visit to Naples will be most entertaining, don't you?"

The shorter man nodded, resting his head against the back of his chair and closing his eyes.  "Indeed it shall," he murmured, his mind beginning to formulate plans for their attack on the current owner of the Everblack Bible and her traveling companions.

"Indeed it shall…"

Continued…

Author's Notes: ok, so it took me a while to write this one, big deal. :P  It didn't seem that I was getting that much readership (at an average of 2 reviews per chapter, it isn't exactly burning up the charts) so I wasn't feeling too much pressure to hurry up and produce more, you know?  I don't plan to wait as long to get the next one out, and after going over my plotline and ides… I think there will be 2, or possibly 3 more chapters, depending on how the writing goes.  If I get more inspiration, I might add to it, but for now… it seems that the end is in sight.     Oh, and for the record – no, the Everblack is not the spell book from Bible Black… I think that one was the Tome of Wulperagous, or some such.  Not that I -cough- watch that kind of smut, you understand… -adjusts halo-

Pre-read was done by Aegis, who muttered something like, "Two months for one chapter…?  My cat writes faster than you."  :(

Feedback is always welcome on any page with review features, or by e-mailing me directly at random1377yahoo.com


	11. Off the Beaten Path

Disclaimer: see Verse 1.

The Everblack Bible

Verse 11

Off the Beaten Path

By Random1377

"Ahh, Naples."

Margarete threw her arms to the side, looking down at the Italian city with a look of fondness reminiscent of an adoring mother watching her favorite child at play.  She drew in a deep breath, laughing out loud at the clean, sweet taste of the air.

"We're there, Yuri!"

"Yeah," came the grunted reply, "now if it's not too much trouble – can you give me a HAND?!"

Laughing once more, the spy dropped onto her stomach, reaching out with her right hand and grinning as Yuri struggled to reach the top of the cliff she was standing on.  "I thought you were in better shape," she teased, clasping his forearm and helping him scramble to the summit.

Yuri grumbled darkly as he knelt on the rough stone, shooting the blonde a scathing glare as she continued smiling.  "You try climbing with this much gear and see how well YOU do," he grumbled, slipping off the backpack stuffed with his and Alice's equipment with a thankful groan.

"Always the gentleman," Margarete mused, offering him a hand up as he finally caught his breath.

Taking her hand, Yuri started to say, "And a good thing too – gentlemen don't hit ladies!" but before he had gotten 'and' past his lips, Margarete's arms were around him and his back was up against the cliff-face.  "Umm… Margarete," he muttered, shifting uncomfortably.  "What are you doing?"

Margarete hummed, resting her head against his shoulder as the wind picked up, whipping her golden hair all around her face as she murmured something too quiet for him to hear.

"What was that?" Yuri asked, "I couldn't hear you."

When no answer was forthcoming, Yuri sighed, slowly wrapping his arms around the woman's thin frame.

'I'll go into town first,' Alice's voice echoed in his mind, 'No, Yuri – trust me on this!  One of my father's friends used to live here, and I want to see if she's still around.'

'Well, why can't we go with you?' he had asked, ignoring the sly grin on Margarete's face as she quickly agreed that this was the best course of action.

'It's… hard to explain,' Alice had replied, totally flustered, 'but I'll be alright… trust me, I've got the Everblack with me – it won't let me be hurt.'

Now, standing on the top of the cliff that supposedly held the shrine they were looking for, Yuri seriously regretted his decision to listen – doubly so because Margarete was once again acting as if she were possessed.

_Didn't I tell them both that I don't have time to think about this??_ he asked himself angrily, _Sure, I still DO, but they should know that I-_

"Yuri."

Blinking, Yuri looked down into Margarete's eyes.  "Yes, my darling wife?" he asked dryly, hoping she would take the hint and let him go.

_Honestly, how a man is ever supposed to choose between two women is beyond me!_

As if reading his mind, Margarete murmured, "I know you said you weren't even thinking about relationships right now, but…"

"But?" he prompted tiredly as she trailed off.

Frowning, Margarete averted her eyes.  "Forget it," she whispered, "it's… no, wait."  She brought her eyes back up to his, forcing herself to continue.  "You love Alice, don't you?"

Yuri looked around the windswept cliff, wishing that he had a reasonable excuse to change the subject… but as they had promised to wait for Alice on this very spot, and she was not due for another three hours, he really had nowhere to go.

"I… I don't know," he admitted reluctantly, "I haven't really had time to figure everything out yet."

"But you might," Margarete pressed.

"Yeah, I might."

"Ok," the blonde took a deep breath, clearly not happy with his reply, "well then… is there any chance you… might, with me too?"

Yuri squirmed, wondering why he suddenly wished that a swarm of Wind Shearers or a Yamaraja or two would suddenly turn up.  Realizing that he had absolutely nowhere to go, he forced his back to straighten, meeting her gaze head-on as he replied – firmly, "…maybe."

Abruptly, Margarete released him, stepping back and nodding to herself as she looked him up and down.  "You're trying to decide which one you want to keep and which one to throw away aren't you?" she asked bluntly, raising a hand before he could say a word.  "Wait, don't answer that.  Just… do me a favor – before you do anything stupid – and remember this: some puzzles have more than one solution.  Do you understand?"

"Er, what the HELL are you talking about?!" Yuri asked, completely baffled.

Rolling her eyes, the blonde smiled.  "Just remember what I said," she said levelly, folding her arms and looking out over the city.

Yuri tried several times to get her to elaborate, but she simply shook her head, keeping her eyes on the city and smiling that small, satisfied smile until he gave up and dropped onto the ground, grumbling about stubborn women as he folded his hands behind his head and closed his eyes to take a nap.

_She's up to something,_ he thought firmly, his lips pursing as he imagined what half-baked scheme the wily blonde might be concocting.  _Well, at least she didn't try to get me to swear that she was the only one for m-_

"I love you."

With a start, Yuri's eyes snapped open.  "Wh-what?!  What was that??"

Margarete was standing exactly as she had been when he closed his eyes, but Yuri was sure that her smile was ever so slightly wider as she murmured, "What was what?  Are you hearing voices again, sonny-boy?"

Yuri stared at her profile for a moment longer, trying to decide if he had really heard what he thought he had heard.  With a disgusted snort, he snapped his eyes closed, listening carefully for any other words the blonde might have to offer.

- - - - -

Sister Moira O'Sullivan kept her hands pressed firmly together in prayer as the door to the church swung open, then closed, her lips moving nonstop as she offered up her evening benediction to God.  She had been in the church for twenty-two years, and it was only on the dreariest, dullest days that she regretted her decision to serve the Lord.

_It's only the hardest days, Lord,_ she consoled herself, _and I know it is my test… so I welcome it.  'I shall give as the Lord offers.'_

She felt the visitor cross to the altar and kneel at her side, her hard shoes click-click-clacking across the simple wooden floor of the chapel.  Moira had always hated that sound… but better to have the out-of-towners with their hard traveling shoes come in and pray than to ignore God altogether.

_Thank you, Lord, _she thought, automatically giving praise for any extra worshipers the small church might draw.  _Please guide this soul as you guide mine, with kindness, love, and-_

"Ex…excuse me…"

Moira heaved an internal sigh as her prayer was interrupted.  "Yes, my child?" she murmured, opening her eyes and crossing herself with the rosary around her neck.

"I'm… looking for someone," the girl – it was clearly a girl, or possibly a very young boy – said.  "She… she used to live here.  Can you help me?"

Turning her head towards the sound of the voice, Moira offered a kind smile.  "I will try," she said serenely, "though many have come and gone through these doors, and I'm afraid I haven't seen much of them."

The girl seemed taken aback by the sight of Moira's cloudy blue eyes, but recovered quickly, saying, "She was a friend of my father… a long time ago."

A shiver ran up and down Moira's spine.  _That voice,_ she thought, shrugging uncomfortably in her habit, _it's… ALMOST familiar… but it can't be – he's dea-_

Clearing her thought and cutting the dark thought off, Moira replied, "You'll have to be a little more specific, child.  Do you have her name?"

"N-no, I don't," the girl admitted, "my father only mentioned her in passing."

"Ah," Moira nodded sagely, "well, that does make it more complicated."

The girl sounded flustered.  "I know, I know it does, sister," she said quickly, "but… but she used to LIVE here… and I think… I think she might have helped open the church… I think."

Again, a chill ran down Moira's spine – as if someone was stepping over her grave.  "Indeed?" she whispered, "Well, little one… I had a hand in opening this place…"

"Really?" the girl asked hopefully.

"Unless my memories have truly betrayed me," Moira said coolly, "though I don't know what service I might be able to offer you, miss…?"

The girl hesitated. 

"Elliot."

Moira drew in a sharp breath, feeling as if a heavy weight had settled onto her chest.

"Alice Elliot."

_Lord…_ Moira thought, feeling her head spinning as the floor came up to meet her, _Why… must you continue to test me so…?_

The last sound she heard before fainting was the girl – Alice – calling, "Sister?  SISTER??"

_No…_ she thought, _not sister…_

- - - - -

"Damnation!"

"Problem?" the shorter man wheezed, glancing up from the newspaper he had been perusing as his companion cursed into his tea.

The taller man cast his cup aside in disgust.  "Well, they have reached Naples, as planned," he said bitterly, "But Miss Elliot, it seems, has ventured into the city on her own, and seeing as how she is carrying the Bible with her…"

"…you are unable to Scry for her," the shorter man completed.  "Unexpected, but not insurmountable.  She will turn up soon enough, I am sure.  And her companions?"

"Exactly where they should be," the taller man shrugged, quickly regaining his composure.  "They will reach the shrine within a day… but they seem to be waiting for Miss Elliot before proceeding."

The shorter man nodded, his watery eyes returning to scanning the paper for news on the war.  "Excellent."

After a brief pause, the taller man murmured, "You're still… SURE about what will happen when they reach the shrine?"

"Oh yes," the shorter man nodded without looking up, "all of my research says there can be only one conclusion.  There is less than a half a percent chance that my theorem is inaccurate in any detail."

"Excellent!"  The taller man smiled, showing all of his teeth.  "I wish I could be there when they put that book into the holy waters of the shrine," he lamented.

Glancing over the top of the paper, the shorter man whispered, "No… you don't."

- - - - -

"Uhhh…"

"Sister?"

Moira's head swam as she opened her eyes, the same gray haziness she had been seeing for the last twenty-two years greeting her as she groaned and tried to stand up.

"Oh, don't move!" the voice of the girl in the church said quickly, "You… you bumped your head when you fell and I… I didn't know if you…"

"You didn't know if I would accept healing," Moira supplied, forcing herself to her feet with a grunt.

"You… know what I am?"

Moira put a hand to her temple, wincing as she felt a small lump rising under her skin.  "If you are your father's daughter… yes."

The Girl – Alice, Moira reminded herself – hesitated.  "So you… are the one," she said softly, sounding awe-stricken, "you knew my father."

_That's… one way to put it,_ Moira thought tiredly.  To Alice, she said, "I did.  Word of his passing reached me quickly… my condolences."

"Thank you," Alice said quietly.

A strangely companionable silence fell as the two women remembered Alice's father.  "So," Moira said quietly, "tell me, young Exorcist… what brings you to me today?"

There was a rustling of fabric.  "Well, my father said that you have a certain… ability, Sister…" Alice said reluctantly.

Moira chuckled.  "There is no need for shame, child," she said soothingly, "I did not think you had come simply to introduce yourself.  What is it you would like me to 'see' for you?"

This term always brought a wry smile to Moira's lips.  The Sight… the ability to read the past or nature of an item by laying her hands on it, had been hers since she had taken her own sight years before in a fit of jealous rage.  She was sure that it was the Lord's greatest joke to the world… but she never questioned His judgment, she simply went about her daily tasks, patiently waiting for the next lost soul seeking to 'see' something only she could show them.

After all – what more suitable punishment could there be for blinding one's self than being used by the Lord to help others see?

"It's… an artifact," Alice said slowly, "it's very powerful.  Maybe this isn't such a good idea…"

Moira smiled.  _Worried about a stranger,_ she thought warmly, _yes, you are your father's child, aren't you, my __Alice__?_

"I have lain my hands upon countless objects, my child," she said, resisting the urge to reach out and find Alice's face, "I am sure it will be f-"

"It's called the Everblack Bible, Sister," Alice blurted.

Moira's mouth slowly swung closed.  "I see," she whispered, "a name only a few know."

"You've heard of it?" Alice asked, sounding suddenly hopeful, "How much do you know about it?  Can you tell me how to destr-"

"Easy, child," Moira cut in softly, "I only know OF it, I'm afraid… but I know enough to be wary."

Alice sighed.  "Then… you don't want to touch it," she said softly, "I understand."

Moira smiled gently.  "Oh, I don't want to," she said easily, "but I know I must.  The Lord guides his flock to me as he sees fit – who am I to pick and choose whom to help?"  She held her hand out.  "A warning, though, before we begin."

"Yes, Sister?"

"When you hand it to me, step back," Moira said coolly, "Items of… evil nature tend to leave an impression on me when I first touch them, and I would hate to lash out."  She chuckled softly as she added, "Of course… I am not as fast or strong as I was in my younger days, so a step or two should be more than adequate."

"I understand."

Moira held out her right hand, trying to clear her mind in preparation for the Seeing.

_Lord, I know this is my punishment,_ she thought honestly, _but must you be so cruel??  To send HER to me like this is… ahh, Father, it is days like this when I know you must punish me for my transgressions, but-_

"Ok Sister, here it is…"

**_HATE!!!_**

Moira gasped as the word, the emotion, exploded in her mind, knocking the breath from her.  She tried to open her hand and release the warm leather trapped between her fingers, but it was too late – images and feelings were tearing through her mind like a Tsunami, washing her in rage and anger as the book told her its tale.

_A man sits on a small altar, his head bowed in prayer as a young boy and girl – twins, by the looks of them – play around him.  "Father," the boy asks, his words in a language unknown to Moira, but understandable all the same, "Why must we be quiet for so long?"  The man does not reply, but a small smile lights his face as his hands – moving, Moira realizes – continue to scratch out lines of text on a small scrap of parchment._

"T-take it… back…" Moira gasped.  "Alice…"

_The man, his hair now threaded with gray, sips from a glass of wine.  The boy and the girl, both in their twenties, sit back to back, reading books with characters Moira has never seen.  "It is done," the man declares, drawing his children's attention.  Slowly, the man rises from his seat and walks to a raised dais, picking up a small, snow-white book and holding it to the light, marveling at its purity and brightness.  "It is done…"_

"Alice… p-please…!"

_The man stands over the body of the boy, his jaw slack with amazement. "Y-you…!"  The girl looks up at him, her eyes wide and scared as she looks down at the short ax in her hand, the blood and brain matter so fresh and bright on its blade that Moira can almost smell it.  "Father, no!" the girl cries, licking her lips as her eyes flash to the white book in his hands.  "I was only-" "YOOUU!!"_

**_PAIN/ANGER/HATE/HATE/HATE!!!_**

Faster… faster the images came…

_Two gravestones, unreadable in the dark of night.___

_The spine of a gray-hued book, wrapped in thick cloth.___

_A crazed mob, chasing the man, howling for blood.___

_The sound of something heavy hitting the pavement… a hand, uncurling from the book, its grey cover growing darker even as Moira watches._

_A child's doll, a man with weak, watery eyes, a young woman with blonde hair and a simple silver crucifix._

One after another, the images slammed into Moira, but it was the final image that stuck in her mind.  The girl's face was pale with shock as a hand wrapped cruelly around her throat, choking her as insane laughter filled the air.

"Sis… ter…"

Moira screamed as reality dropped back over her, her eyes, sightless for so many years, showing her the rapidly purpling face of Alice Elliot as a hand – HER hand – ruthlessly strangled the life from her.

_NO, LORD!!_ Moira tried to cry out, but her voice would not work, _Please – not her!  Take my sight, take my health, take my life – but please… please don't take HER!_

Alice collapsed to the floor of the church, hacking and gasping for breath as Moira's hand finally uncurled from her throat.

"N… no…" Moira sobbed, falling to her knees, "Child – Alice!!"

"I'm… I'm alright," Alice rasped, rolling onto her back and covering her bruised neck with her hands, "I… understand."  She coughed again, spiting out a small amount of blood before she managed to ask, "What… did you see… Sister…?"

Tears filled Moira's eyes as the veil of gray she had grown so used to swept back over her vision.  _Oh thank you, Lord,_ she thought, too overcome to speak, _thank you… thank you…_

Sobbing, filled with love for a God that had deigned to allow this girl to live, Moira spoke of what she had seen.

Continued…

Author's Notes: yes, yes, another big break between chapters, sorrysorry and all that.  …wow that was insincere.  Oh well :P  I hope it was worth waiting for, and in case anyone was wondering about Moira – no, I really wasn't trying to be THAT subtle.

Pre-read was done by Aegis.

…what, you were expecting some snotty/snide comment?  Sorry, I'm too tired to invent things for her to say right now. Heh.

Feedback is always welcome on any site with reviewing capabilities or by e-mailing me directly at random1377yahoo.com


	12. Backlash

Disclaimer: see Verse 1.

The Everblack Bible

Verse 12

Backlash

By Random1377

"Yuri… Yuurrriii… wake uuuup…"

Yuri groaned his discontent, trying to ignore the insistent shaking that was interrupting his extremely pleasant dream. It was not often that he was visited with passionate visions in his sleep – let alone the variety wherein he had the company of both of his traveling companions – so he was VERY reluctant to let it go.

"Oh, just kick him."

"I'm UP!" Yuri growled, forcing his eyes open and rubbing them irritably. "God, can't you women let me get a decent night's sleep??"

Gazing up at the two, he frowned, concentrating his attention on Margarete for a moment. _I'm seeing things,_ he thought, blinking hard as the blonde seemed to fade almost to transparency before solidifying completely.

Somehow, this vision gave the harmonixer the shivers, and he quickly rose to his feet, stealing another quick look at Margarete to ensure that she was entirely there.

"See something you like?" the spy asked, sounding honestly curious as she caught his sideways glance.

"Just thought you had a bug on your chest," Yuri muttered lamely, nodding to Alice as she gave him a soft smile of greeting.

"So you were staring at my chest, huh? …again, see something you l-"

"Ahem!"

Yuri and Margarete focused their attention on the exorcist as she cleared her throat with far more force than was necessary.

"I found the church," she said abruptly, "and I talked to the nun who lives there. She said this is definitely the place."

"Well that's good to know," Margarete said, pursing her lips, "I'd hate to think we traipsed all the way up here for nothing. How far to the temple?"

"Less than a mile," Alice said, regaining her good cheer now that Yuri's attention was no longer on any bugs that may or may not have been on Margarete's sizable bosom. "She said there's only one priest that watches over the temple… but he's very powerful, and a little on the cranky side, so we need to treat him with respect."

"So YOU," Margarete said, jabbing a finger at Yuri, "should just stay quiet."

"I got it, I got it," the harmonixer said irritably, "geez, you make it sound like I start fights just for the hell of it!"

"Don't you?"

"NO!"

"Come on, you two," Alice said, fighting the urge to grab them both by the ear and tug them along like willful children.

"Alright, alright," Margarete sighed, waiting until Alice's back was turned before sticking her tongue out at Yuri.

Yuri just rolled his eyes, tiring of the game as the exorcist started off towards the temple. "Did she say anything else useful?" he asked, hurrying to catch up.

"Mmm, not really," Alice said after a moment's thought, "she really… just asked about me, after telling me where to find the temple."

"About you?" Margarete mused. "Like what kind of stuff?"

Alice frowned. "About my mother, actually," she said hesitantly. "She kept asking if my mother was a good woman, if she treated me well, things like that… and she looked, I dunno, relieved when I said that I've always gotten along great with my mother."

_Almost as if she was expecting her to be a wretched person,_ she thought, pondering the look of gratitude Sister Moira had on her face when Alice told her about her upbringing. _It… kind of felt like there was something else she wanted to say. Maybe I'll go back there after we're done here and ask her about it._

The troop fell silent as they marched towards the temple, each wrapped in their own thoughts.

"Is that the place?" Yuri asked finally, tilting his chin towards a small, cobblestone building on the edge of a clearing in the woods.

"Uh-huh," Alice nodded, "now let me go in first – I have a note from Sister Moira explaining our situation."

The other two nodded, falling back a step as Alice walked towards the structure, un-slinging her backpack as she went.

"Father Morris?" she called, setting her backpack just outside the door, "Father Morris, are you here? I've… I've come to use your font, if I may. Sister Moira said to tell you it's alright. …Father Morris?"

She jumped slightly as Yuri's hand landed on her shoulder.

"Looks fishy to me," he said grimly, eyeing the closed door warily. "Where would he be at this time of the day?"

"Maybe he went out for a walk?" Margarete offered. "Maybe he catches fish a stream nearby? Who knows?"

Yuri looked frustrated. "Well, do we wait, or just go in?" he asked uncertainly. "I don't like walking into other people's houses…"

Biting her lip for a moment, Alice said, "It'll be fine… it may be small, but it's still a temple of the Lord, and His house is always open."

"That's a great justification for breaking and entering," Margarete muttered dryly.

Slowly, Yuri reached out and pushed on the door, shrugging as it swung open with a loud creak. "Not breaking," he winked, "just entering. Hell, if we hurry, we could be gone before-"

"Don't say 'Hell,' inside the temple," Alice cut in sharply, her tone conveying not a single hint of humor. "This is a holy place, Yuri… alright?"

Yuri rolled his eyes. "Got it," he said dejectedly. "Maybe I'll just shut up entirely."

"Good plan."

"No one asked you!"

"Enough!"

The two arguing travelers jumped at the snap of command in Alice's voice, their backs going unconsciously stiff as she stepped across the threshold. "Sorry," she whispered, bowing her head, "it's just… let's get this over with. I want to be free of this burden."

Nodding, Yuri and Margarete followed her into the dimly lit temple.

The inside of the temple was the same as the outside – unrelieved cobblestone surrounding them and making a twenty-foot square room, furnished only with a single cot, a reading chair, and a low bookshelf, populated entirely with handwritten tomes bearing dates rather than titles.

"Diaries," Alice said, gesturing towards the books. "Notes and observations on the priest's feelings towards God."

"He must have a lot of thoughts on the matter," Yuri said seriously, "there's like, fifteen of them."

Alice was about to reply when Margarete nodded to the center of the room. "Is that it?"

"Yes," the exorcist replied quietly, "that's the font…"

Directly in the middle of the room stood a hexagonal pedestal, its sides curving four feet gracefully into the air to form an eight-inch deep, bowl-shaped indentation. Water bubbled up from a spring somewhere underground, coming up through the center of the font and spilling down over its sides to pass back into the ground that had issued it.

"A symbol of renewal," Alice murmured, crossing herself and pressing her hands together in front of her chest as she knelt on the ground in front of the font. "Forgive us our trespass, Lord… but our need is great."

"So all we do is dunk the thing in the water?" Yuri asked skeptically. "That seems a little… easy."

"Well," Alice shrugged, keeping her voice low and reaching into her backpack to carefully pull the Everblack out, "Sister Moira said that the temple's waters have the power to purify even the most tainted objects, but she said the older or deeper the evil, the longer the purification takes… so it's not just a matter of 'dunking' it, as you put it, but soaking, watching, and guarding until it's safe."

Margarete frowned. "And how do we know when it's safe?" she asked, arching an eyebrow. "Will a bell go off? Maybe a little flag marked 'done'? Seriously – are we supposed to just guess?"

With a weary sigh, Alice began unwrapping the Bible. "The waters are holy," she explained, hesitantly pulling the cloth away from the book's black cover. "I should be able to use my Demon Eyes to watch the reaction between the waters and the book – and when they stop reacting, it'll be safe."

"So we just have to watch your back and make sure no one sneaks up on us until you give the all-clear," Yuri concluded with a shrug, "I think we can swing that."

"Most definitely," Margarete nodded, her confidence returning now that she knew all of the angles. "So… let's get started."

Alice lifted the book off the ground. "Alright," she said, trying to shake off the feeling of unease slowly seeping into her bones. "First, a prayer of thanksgiving, for all that we have been blessed with… then, a prayer of atonement, for any transgressions we have caused… and finally, a prayer of cleansing, to free the spirits within the book from their unrest."

Yuri scratched his nose. "Do we all have to pray?" he asked doubtfully. "I'm… not that good at talking to the Big Man, you know?"

"You and me both, brother," Margarete muttered under her breath. "Maybe we should just step outside – before WE get cleansed!"

Rolling her eyes at the ill-placed humor, Alice rose to her feet, clutching the Everblack in her hands. "Just bow your heads and concentrate on my voice," she said patiently. "No matter how much you pretend not to be, you're both good people, so your spirits will automatically lend themselves to the prayer."

Finding that he could not think of any stronger word to define this concept, Yuri said, "Neat."

"Neat?" Margarete echoed. "What are you, twelve??"

Before they could start ribbing each other – a common response to nervousness, for these two – Alice stepped towards the font, holding the Everblack before her. "Our Father who art in Heaven," she began, noticing that her companions fell silent at the beginning of her prayer of thanksgiving. "Hallowed be thy name…"

Even reciting these simple, rote words, Alice could feel the waters in the temple responding – as if the very eddies and currents themselves were filled to overflowing with the love of the Father. This idea helped to dull her growing sense that something was not right, keeping her voice even as she completed one prayer and began on the second.

_All is as it should be,_ she told herself insistently, forcing down her doubts as she stepped closer to the font. _I can feel Yuri, and even Margarete, lending me their support… this is the Lord's holy place… I shouldn't feel this hesitant._

Another step closer to the font, and the second prayer was at an end… though Alice could easily feel sweat sliding listlessly down her pretty face and making its way down her throat to collect uncomfortably in the hollow of her breastbone before trickling slowly down the front of her shirt.

"…we ask thy blessing, Father," she whispered, halting uncertainly halfway through the third litany as the font loomed – huge and imposing – before her. This was it… seven more words, and one quick movement, and this whole nightmare would be over.

_Well, _she thought, slowly holding the Everblack out in front of her.

"In the name of Jesus Christ…"

_Here goes!_

"Amen!"

It all happened so fast that Alice's conscious mind could not register it.

The moment her fingers released the Everblack Bible, the runes on its surface began glowing an angry, vibrant red, and the cover snapped open of its own accord, the pages blurring past until chapter fourteen had been reached, a certain incantation blazing with unholy silver light as the book tumbled towards the waters.

Yuri and Margarete must have seen it, as Yuri cried out, lunging forward and wrapping his arms around Alice's waist, bearing her to the ground behind a stone outcropping as Margarete threw herself forward in a vain attempt to catch the Everblack before it could touch the font.

She almost made it – her fingers brushing briefly along the book's red-hot spine before sliding off, scorched, and leaving her face to face with the results of the disastrous attempt to free the world of the Everblack's influence.

An all-encompassing roar filled the air as the waters of the font caressed the unholy black book, and in that nanosecond… a geyser of flame and water erupted from the font, blasting a hole in the temple's roof and spewing the sacred fluid high into the air in a spectacular display of furious, unleashed destructive might.

And in the center of it all, its black pages burning with silver fire, the Everblack stood immobile in mid-air, seemingly impervious to the angrily buffeting currents of vaporizing holy water – a testament to evil itself in the eye of a storm of Heaven-sent moisture.

- - - - -

Yuri coughed raggedly, shaking his head to clear the ringing from his ears as spots of light and dark danced in and out of his vision. "Alice?" he croaked, clearing his throat. "Margarete??"

All around him, shuffling, secretive sounds echoed through the woods, giving the night an ominous, frightening cast.

_Woods…?_ he thought dizzily, trying to force himself to his feet, but finding his arms and legs too heavy to move. _Weren't we… inside?_

"It seems he's coming 'round," a smooth, aristocratic voice murmured, "what about the girl?"

Another, more familiar voice replied, "Still dazed… but she should come to her senses sooner than later. It doesn't appear that she has broken anything."

"Pity."

Yuri took a deep breath, fighting a wave of nausea as he opened his eyes, finding the world canted sideways, cool grass rubbing his cheek as he found himself in the middle of a large group of men.

"Wha…?"

His eyes widened as he realized that they were not men… but Shadow Knights – demon-like monsters made from the reanimated corpses of fallen soldiers, some of them still bearing fragments of armor or rusty swords, though the unholy power in decaying bodies made such accoutrements superfluous at best.

Ten feet directly in front of him, he could see Alice lying on her back in the grass, her face contorted in obvious pain as she groaned and shook her head, seemingly caught just between a dream and waking.

Of Margarete… there was no sign.

"What about the other one?" the tall man demanded of one of the monsters, "There were three of them."

The Shadow Knight shook its head, gesturing around as if to say, 'there's no one else here.'

"She may have been killed in the blast," the shorter man pointed out, coughing into his fist, "or thrown clear and knocked senseless. In either case, she is out of the way… like that meddlesome priest we were forced to eliminate upon our arrival. Throwing away his life so cavalierly… such a waste."

"You're probably right," the tall man said, bowing his acquiescence as Yuri tried to struggle to his feet.

"If she's dead, I'll kill you!" Yuri snarled, desperately working at getting his hands free.

"Ahh, so much vigor!" the tall man declared jovially. "Truly worthy of the one known as Godkiller… but don't lay your venom at my feet, my good man – t'was your young exorcist friend that caused the explosion."

Yuri sneered. "You're lying," he growled, "the book was booby trapped to blow up when-"

"My young friend," the smaller man said, his voice wheezing and feeble as he shook his head, "when, in the world, would we have had the opportunity to lay such a trap? If we had… why not just take the Everblack for ourselves?"

The taller man grinned. "Not much of a thinker, is he?"

With a sigh, the smaller man continued, speaking as if there had been no interruption. "You simply cannot bring that much evil into contact with that much good without expecting some kind of backlash, my young friend," he said simply, "it is only common logic."

"Something you lack, it seems," the taller man interjected, ignoring the look of admonishment from his associate.

"Regardless of the genesis of the explosion," the shorter of the two said, holding a small white bible up for Yuri to see, "the results are what matter. Behold… your friend was successful. The Everblack is now untainted by the emotions of man, waiting like a blank slate to be used and filled by a proper owner."

"You?" Yuri spat disgustedly.

The shorter man nodded. "Precisely," he said evenly, "and I believe there would be no better time to start plumbing its knowledge than the present. To you, my good man," he turned to his companion, "I leave their fate. Do as you will… I have no regrets, now that I possess the Bible."

Yuri finally managed to buck the Shadow Knight holding him down, shooting to his feet as the short man bowed and turned away.

"Kill them both," the tall man ordered, his lips twisting up in a cruel smile as he added, "Start with the girl… make sure this one is alive to see her breathe her last."

One of the Shadow Knights reached down and wrapped its massive hand around Alice's throat, lifting her easily into the air as the two humans started for the far end of the clearing.

"No!" Yuri screamed, ramming his fist into the face of the closest Shadow Knight as the one holding Alice began to squeeze, gauging the distance between them as more of their kind closed ranks all around him, cutting him off entirely.

"_NO_!!"

To be concluded…

Author's Notes: yes, sadly, there is only one more chapter to go. Fortunately for the… what, two people that read this? I wrote 12 and 13 concurrently, and I actually finished 13 first. That's right – before this chapter was even half finished, the last one was complete and sitting on my hard drive. Hate me yet? Well, don't… you'll get the end of the story in less than a week, I promise. Think of it as my way of saying thanks for still reading after the extra-long break between 11 and 12.

Pre-read on this Verse was done by Aegis, who said something like, "Oh, you're still alive??"

…it's nice to be loved.

Feedback is always welcome on any site with reviewing capabilities or by e-mailing me directly at random1377(at-sign)yahoo(dot)com.


	13. Deus Ex Machina

Disclaimer: see Verse 1.

The Everblack Bible

Verse 13

Deus Ex Machina

By Random1377

_I'm going to die…_

No matter how Alice tried to fight it, the certainty of this thought was all encompassing. She struggled with all of her might, kicking and punching at the thick, muscular arm holding her aloft, but it was no use – the Shadow Knight's hold on her throat was too tight.

She WAS… going to die.

_We were so close,_ she thought coughing in a sweet lungful of air as the Shadow Knight loosened its hold long enough to get more of its powerful fingers around her slender neck. _We cleansed it – I know we did! We were so… so c-close…_

Even her thoughts began to stutter as the air supply to her brain was slowly, ruthlessly closed off. From the corner of her eye, she could see Yuri – wonderful, glorious Yuri – fighting valiantly amidst a group of Shadow Knights, hopelessly outnumbered… but struggling towards her all the same.

_My Yuri,_ she thought dizzily, too faint and weak to spare a thought for Margarete. _My sweet Yuri… d-did I… even tell you how much I love you? I c-can't… remember…_

She did, though… far more than she could even say. She loved the harmonixer with all of her heart – certainly more than Margarete!

_How strange… _Alice mused, feeling her hands slip off of the Shadow Knight's wrist and fall to her sides, refusing her mental command to keep fighting, _even though I'm dying… all I can think about is how she might get him instead. I am… I must be… the… most pathetic… person alive…_

Alice blinked slowly as a pleasantly soothing drone filled her ears.

Through the haze of pain and lessening oxygen, she imagined she could see the air thirty feet in front of her rippling and parting, revealing a small, ball-shaped opening. As she watched, fascinated by the fantasy her dying mind was presenting, the opening spread wide, showing a lush forest, replete with exotic flowers and plants the likes of which Alice had never seen.

From the forest, a shape emerged, appearing blurry and indistinct as Alice's vision began to darken – but there was no mistaking the roar that poured out of the hole in space… nor the identity of its owner.

"FORWARD!!"

Alice's eyes closed in another long, languid blink, and when she opened them again, a shape blurred past her, ruffling her hair as something warm and wet splattered across her face. All at once, the horrible pressure at her throat was gone, and she was tumbling, coughing, to the dry earth under her feet. In a daze, she stared straight forward as the head of the creature that had been holding her dropped to the ground less than five feet in front of her, its face forever locked in a wide-eyed expression of disbelief. All around her, grunts and cries rose up as someone knelt and pressed two fingers against her throat.

"She's alive," the woman called, making Alice blink in surprise, "rally – rally to me! Protect this one!"

Pounding feet raced all around her, encircling her in a forest of legs, but Alice ignored them, forcing her arms to comply as she issued them the command to push her into a sitting position. Shaking her head to clear it, she found herself surrounded by the obscenely misshapen bodies of a dozen large Doomhounds, their attention facing outward and leaving her in the center of a rough ring with the last person she ever would have expected to see.

"K-Koudelka??"

The woman glanced down at Alice, her newly youthful features losing some of the tension they had held as she raised her voice and shouted, "Let no one touch her! The rest of you, press forward and KILL everything that isn't human – NO QUARTER!!"

As she pumped her sword high into the air, Koudelka's order met with a resounding roar of approval from the Doomhounds, and as one, they surged forward, slamming into the ranks of the surprised Shadow Knights. Over the screams of dying beasts – enemies and allies – Alice could hear familiar sounds working their way into the battle. Here, Zhuzhen's Ogre Flame Dance rose to a sudden crescendo, followed almost immediately by the shrieks of a dozen Shadow Knights. There, Keith's aristocratic voice could be heard shouting commands to a troop of Doomhounds, ordering them to stand their ground as a group of Shadow Knights tried to lay siege to their position.

_They're here,_ Alice thought dizzily as she heard Halley's war cry echoing through the clearing, _they're all here!_

Pushing herself upright, Alice fumbled for her backpack, groaning in frustration as she felt nothing but torn cloth meet her questing fingers. "Gone," she whispered to herself, casting around for her bag, "has to be here somewhere… I know I set it outside."

She shook her head, reminding herself that talking when no one was listening was one of the first signs of madness. _Margarete,_ she thought, glancing around suddenly, _where are you? I can see Yuri over there fighting… but where's Margarete…??_

- - - - -

Into the whirlwind of Doomhounds and Shadow Knights, Koudelka hurled herself without hesitation. Alice was safe… but the two that had taken the Everblack were already on the far side of the clearing, surrounded by an invisible sphere of protection that cast off any attempt to harm them.

_Have to reach them,_ she thought desperately, _it's too dangerous for them to Gate from the middle of a battlefield, but if they get clear…_

"HA!"

Spotting a small opening – created by her own son's wildly powerful Black Hole ability – Koudelka dashed forward, parrying a Shadow Knight's clumsy attempt to stop her and hacking its arm off before sprinting through the narrowing gap. Keith and Zhuzhen were holding their own, she could see, and she could hear Yuri's triumphant cry from somewhere in the throng, so she was not concerned for his wellbeing.

_Ok, everyone's clear, _she thought, countering another attack and sending a Shadow Knight reeling back into the crowd, its arms pinwheeling as its head rolled in the opposite direction. _I can focus._

"It's all up to me."

Drawing closer to the two unhurried men, however, she faltered, her eyes going wide as the taller man turned to glance over his shoulder into the fight, a tight sneer lighting his too-familiar face.

_It can't be,_ Koudelka thought, _it can't be!!_

"Fletcher!"

The tall man whipped around, his eyes scanning the melee until he found the source of the call, his face breaking into a broad grin as he laughed, "Ahh, Koudelka… forgive me – your makeover threw me for a moment."

Koudelka stood frozen, Sacnoth held high and ready to strike… but shaking badly as the her youthful face clearly displayed her shock and hurt. "It… it was you…?"

"Guilty!" Fletcher declared, laughing with delight as he gestured for the shorter man to go on ahead rolled his neck sharply to the side, producing a small series of pops. "Ahh, that's better. Yes, it was I that sent the Doomhounds to find you. It was I that assisted in the summoning of that great, useless dragon. It was I that felt you might have some idea of where the Everblack was after I was… unfortunately dispossessed of it. Yes, it was all my doing, my love."

"But… but the Everblack," Koudelka stammered, noticing belatedly that the shorter man was the one bearing the Bible, "I saw it consume you."

"_Transport_ me," Fletcher corrected, his eyes gleaming, "when I opened it that day, I was thinking of how in the world I would be able to get free of your domineering righteousness – and the Everblack Bible obligingly whisked me away, taking me all the way to the other side of the world."

"No," the woman whispered, "you were like me – you wanted the same things I-"

She was cut off by Fletcher's sudden burst of laughter. "You never were able to see people for what they really were," he chortled gleefully. "Even with your vaunted ESP, you still couldn't comprehend what you were looking at when our eyes met. You really should reconsider your rule about reading others minds without their permission, my dear… it will save you worlds of trouble."

Slowly, Koudelka raised her sword high. "I've already realized that," she said flatly, "my imprisonment forced me to understand that no one is what they seem. But you… you were so close to me. There's no way I could have been mistaken."

"Mistaken and deceived are very different things," Fletcher pointed out, looking suddenly very bored. "Since it's taking you so long to figure this out, I'll make it clear for you – I traveled with you because I knew of your powers, and I wanted to use them for myself. When we found the Everblack, I knew I finally had the ability to rid myself of your unendingly boorish optimism, and I was leafing through it to find a spell to destroy you… but little did I know that the Everblack was leafing through _me_ at the same time, reading my heart's desires and acting of its own accord."

Koudelka's bottom lip trembled. "To think I almost made love to you," she hissed, her eyes flashing dangerously. "My one saving grace in all of this is that I was still getting over the disappearance of Halley's father. I hadn't even realized that I was pregnant yet."

With a look of mild irritation, Fletcher muttered, "It was only a matter of time. You wanted so badly for someone to tell you everything was going to be alright that you would have taken any male companionship eventually. Pathetic."

The young woman's teeth flashed brightly as her lips pulled back, the knuckles on her right hand whitening dangerously as the last of her temper finally disappeared. "So be it," she whispered angrily, "you've succeeded, Anthony… you've deceived me, gotten your hands on the Everblack Bible, and transformed all of my love for you into hate." Abruptly, she smiled. "How unfortunate for you that it will be your last act."

Raising his hands, Fletcher snorted. "You tire me," he said dismissively. "Come then, if you dare – your pathetic weapon cannot penetrate my defenses no matter how you batter at them. I'm going to enjoy finally making you mine, Miss Iasant – to hear you scream my name, and beg for me to spare your friends, will – urk!"

His words were abruptly cut off as Koudelka raised her free hand, a look of utter disbelief washing over his face as the woman sadly shook her head. "Pathetic?" she murmured her eyes filled with anger and regret. "Perhaps so… but in all the time you've known me, you should have realized that the one thing I will never do is allow my friends to come to harm. And you, I'm afraid, have just taken away the very last hope I held for your redemption. You speak of your impervious defenses?" She arched an eyebrow. "I can see that your body is very well protected – and you're right, even Sacnoth wouldn't be able to penetrate your shield… but perhaps, knowing my abilities, you should have been more worried about your mind."

Fletcher's eyes widened, and he desperately fumbled in his pockets, searching no doubt for some charm or trinket that would save him.

He did not find it.

"Goodbye, dear Fletcher," Koudelka whispered.

"ACK!"

Koudelka turned away as blood exploded from the man's eyes and mouth, every capillary in his skull giving way to the sudden, unbearable pressure brought to bear by her ESP. It was the one power she had sworn never to use again, the one for which there was no defense… a skill so damning in her eyes that she never even dared name it.

"Koudelka…!"

"Alice, you're ok," Koudelka whispered dully, finding her eyes drawn almost magnetically back to Fletcher's body as the young exorcist dashed up to her. "Meet Fletcher…"

Alice shuddered, quickly looking away from the corpse on the ground. "Koudelka," she said softly, laying a hand on the woman's arm, "we're being overrun. The Doomhounds can't match the Shadow Knights for power – we have to fall back."

Shaking herself, Koudelka looked up, surveying the battlefield with a grim frown. "Find the others," she said turning her back on the man she had once loved. "I have to go after Fletcher's companion – he still has the Everblack."

Grabbing her hand, Alice replied, "I'll go with you – no, don't tell me I can't… you'll need the support, if he's as powerful as we think he is."

Hesitantly, Koudelka nodded. "Alright," she said decisively, "let's end this."

"Yes," Alice said, grateful at the very thought of seeing this nightmare draw to a close, "let's."

- - - - -

Nearing the edge of the clearing, the shorter man allowed himself a smile. _Not much longer now,_ he thought, wincing slightly as one of his muscles gave an uncomfortable twinge.

Though he did not look it, the man was well over the age of ninety – nowhere near Roger Bacon's age, but certainly venerable, by anyone's standards.

_I suppose I should be on my way,_ he mused, cradling the Everblack Bible close to his chest as he prepared to Gate out. _No use in hanging about when-_

"Freeze."

The man came up short as a commanding female voice called out from somewhere in the tree line. _Probably has me covered,_ the man thought sagely, _best not move too suddenly… she sounds rather tense._

"Show yourself," he said cautiously, "I do so hate talking to the forest… it makes people stare at me strangely."

Obligingly, a shadow detached itself, stepping closer to him and revealing a tall blonde with sparkling blue eyes. "Thought you might try to slink off," the woman said, her tone deceptively light – a direct counterpoint to the ten-gauge held loosely in her hands as she stepped out of the shadow cast by a large elm tree. "Keep your hands where I can see them."

"Mm, Miss Zelle," the man said, seeming completely un-intimidated by the shotgun leveled at his chest, "How nice to see you again."

Margarete's eyes scanned the terrain behind the man. "Likewise and all that," she muttered, nodding as she found the man alone. "Now, since we've got a minute… why don't you just tell me how you found us – and who you are. I'm assuming that you're Jones, but I don't like to assume, really… has a tendency to get people killed."

"No, no," the man said warmly, "you're quite right – Jones is my name… and my young associate is Mister Fletcher. Forgive me for putting off a formal greeting for so long."

"Forgiven," Margarete said dryly, "now answer my other question – how did you find us?"

Jones waved a hand. "Wasn't that hard, really," he said dismissively, "Fletcher and I simply scryed for you, and discerned your logical destination – one of the only locations on the planet that could even come close to cleansing this wondrous tome. From there, it was only a matter of waiting until your attempt to exorcise the book's demons, as it were, and coming in to pick up the pieces."

Margarete's lips curled back from her teeth. "Fletcher," she spat, "sick bastard. If I hadn't seen Koudelka and that horde of Doomhounds gating in, I would have been forced to charge that monster choking Alice. I would have been killed, but I might have given her a chance to get free before they got her too."

"Very noble," Jones said honestly, "but he would have hunted her down. Has a rather strong taste for blood, does young Fletcher."

Rolling her eyes, Margarete muttered, "But he has his uses, right?"

"When providence delivered him into my hands, dazed and forgetful from a blow to the head, but with full recollection of what he had so recently held in his hands, I knew it was the first sign that I was getting close," Jones explained, shrugging as if in apology. "I've searched most of my adult life for this book… and finding young Fletcher back there was the first REAL lead I'd had. I would have been a fool not to use him to his fullest. Oh, I'm sure he has some kind of delusion of killing me and stealing it in the middle of the night – he is the type – but I'll deal with that when the time comes."

"But… why do you want it?" Margarete demanded, her nostrils flaring. "You're not one of those fools out to take over or destroy the world, are you? God, I hate those!"

Jones laughed weakly, shaking his head from side to side. "Nothing so grandiose, I'm afraid," he chuckled, fixing his watery stare on the woman, "I simply do not wish to die. A pedestrian wish, I know, but a rather driving one for me – especially lately. With the Everblack in my possession… I will never age. I will drink freely from the knowledge of the world, sating my thirst for information without fear of death or loss of memory. I will say hello to your great grandchildren someday, my dear… if you will step out of my way. Otherwise, I cannot guarantee your safety."

"This will," Margarete said boldly, tapping Azrael's Tear with her thumbnail. "Now put the book down."

"Ahh yes," the small man said softly, "I have read that the little bauble I gave you has the power of an angel's tears. I do not know precisely what that power might be… but I know that I would be extremely careful of anything that has the ability to make an angel weep." He nodded at the smoldering hole in the woman's blouse, revealing fresh, pink skin underneath. "I see that you have already tasted of its abilities, but be wary of using it too much… even I don't know what might happen if it is used to its fullest extent."

"I'll keep that in mind," Margarete said dryly. "Now why don't you make it easy on yourself and just set that book down on the ground, hmm? I know it's not at full power right now… it won't save you."

The man considered the bible's snowy white cover for a moment before turning his watery eyes on the blonde. "And… you honestly believe this to be my only defense…?" he asked, his weak voice very much alive with a combination of amusement and incredulity. "I'm afraid I can't simply give it up after coming this far, my dear. I will ask you only once more. Kindly step aside – I would regret having to harm you."

"I won't let you have it, old man," Margarete whispered reluctantly, pumping the shotgun to ensure that there was a shell in the breech. "Put it down now."

There was brief moment of silence as the man considered the barrel of Margarete's shotgun. Finally, he sighed, shaking his head sadly.

"You have no idea how it pains me to do this, Miss Zelle," he man said with true reluctance, "but I'm afraid I simply cannot allow you to stand in my way."

Margarete brought her shotgun up. "Pretty big words for such a small ma—AHH!!!!"

Before she could fire, the man reached out, holding his palm open and facing towards her, then curling his fingers so they resembled a rough claw. "Again," the man said sadly, slowly clenching his fingers into a tight fist, "forgive me."

It was Yuri that saw her fall, catching her stunned expression through a gap in the fighting. The blonde looked as if she could not quite understand something the man standing in front of her had just said, and – just until she figured it out – she might just have to lie down… on the ground… and think about it.

"_Margarete_!!"

Jones sighed tiredly, glancing down at Margarete's limp body. "Farewell, Miss Zelle," he said softly, "I hope when we meet in the next life, you can find it in your heart to forgive an old man his petty desires."

Gesturing to one of the Shadow Knights at the perimeter of the battlefield, he stepped into the confines of the forest, casting a spell of invisibility around himself and his bodyguard. It would be best to peruse the Everblack immediately, he decided, rather than waiting until he reached a safer location. Why put it off any longer, after all – there was nothing here that could harm him… and once he had what he needed, he could recite the incantation and at last be free of this crippled shell.

Then – oh then… would he begin to utilize the Everblack to its full, dark potential, and taste all of the world's hidden secrets, denied him so long by his failing health and inept servants.

Behind him, arriving like a lashing winter storm, Yuri arrived at Margarete's side, blood and gore covering him from his ankles to his chin as he cast two Shadow Knights out of his way with violent, animalistic force. "Margarete," he breathed, crouching on the ground and pressing his head to the woman's chest. "Awww no honey, no! Stay with me… come on… stay with me."

His blood ran cold as only silence greeted his desperate search for a heartbeat.

_Alice_ the thought barreled through his mind like a freight train. All he had to do was find Alice – she could bring Margarete back to life!

Carefully setting the woman back on the ground, Yuri shot to his feet and whirled around, scanning the crowed. "ALICE!" he screamed, raising his voice over the din, "Alice, where are you? I need you!!" He thought he caught a glimpse of the exorcist's golden hair at the far end of the clearing, but before he could call out again, she was swallowed by the tumult all around.

_Too many of them,_ he thought, glancing down at Margarete's stunned face, _damn it, there's still too many monsters on the field – I need to end this fast, or she's done for!_

"Fine then," he hissed, baring his teeth and thrusting his arms out to the sides as his eyes narrowed to thin slits.

The ground around him began to tremble as he summoned up every ounce of his willpower and uttered the words Alice had secretly prayed never to hear again.

"Come to me, _Seraphic Radiance!!_"

- - - - -

In the mountains above Naples, Italy… a fallen god walked the Earth once more. With a rage generally reserved for biblical events, Yuri used the Seraphic Radiance to cut a swath of death through Shadow Knights and Doomhounds alike, his concern for Margarete too great to discern between enemy and ally. Only Keith, Halley, and Zhuzhen were spared the fusion monster's wrath, their eyes wide with mute wonder as it passed over them, its unholy fire burning everything near them to cinders while leaving them untouched.

At the edge of the fray, Alice stared with horror as the winged creature threw back its head and howled her name. "Oh Yuri," she whispered, taking a step towards him before Koudelka grabbed her arm.

"He's close," she hissed, trying to ignore the sight and smell of the titanic monster killing everything in sight, "we can't let him read any of the spells in the Everblack – who knows what damage he might cause!"

Reluctantly, Alice nodded, turning away from the carnage and following Koudelka as the other woman stalked their prey. Somehow, Alice was not sure how, Koudelka was tracking the man by homing in on the psychic residue left on the Everblack from Alice's own hands. She had tried to explain the idea to the exorcist, but it was so complicated that she had given up and hissed, 'trust me.'

They had been following the trail around the perimeter of the battlefield for several minutes now, keeping their movements slow and unobtrusive. _Why is he circling so much?_ Alice thought nervously, freezing as Koudelka held up a hand. _We've gone almost all the way around the clearing now – we're practically back where we started._

Without warning, an enormous fist swung out of thin air, connecting solidly with Koudelka's jaw and sending her flying backwards to slam into a nearby tree, sliding to the ground in a daze as Sacnoth tumbled from her numb fingers.

"Tsk," a voice complained, "you've broken through my barrier, you silly beast…"

A moment later, the air in front of Alice wavered… and the short man (_Jones,_ Alice corrected herself mentally) suddenly winked into existence, shaking his head as he gave the huge Shadow Knight standing in front of him an admonishing glance.

"Now you've revealed us," Jones continued, shaking his head as he glanced back to the book in his hands. "Keep them distracted for me, won't you? I'm sure their friends won't be far behind, and I'd hate to be interrupted once I find what I'm looking for." His eyes scanned the page as he murmured, "Seems the ability to find the reader's darkest desires was linked directly to the book's darkness… the cleansing certainly has made FINDING anything rather tiresome."

Alice licked her lips, taking a step back as the Shadow Knight flexed its muscles and leered down at her. "Please," she said quietly, amazed that her voice carried over the furious battle raging behind her, "you don't know its power… don't-"

"Oh, but I do," Jones interjected, calmly flipping another page. "And I know that it is safe now that the book is clean of all hate. Don't bother speaking to me again, Miss Elliot… I simply do not have the time, or the inclination, to banter with you."

As she was about to speak, Alice found herself cut off by a huge, rearing shape. The largest Doomhound she had ever seen slunk off of the battlefield behind her, ignoring her entirely as it stalked towards the Shadow Knight guarding Jones.

"How tedious," the man said, his watery eyes rolling as he casually raised one hand.

Instantly, a translucent globe sprang into being around him, generating so much power that it made the fine hairs on Alice's arms stand up. In an instant, the Doomhound was on the Shadow Knight, pouncing without warning and slamming the creature up against Jones' shield. The man paid no mind as his bodyguard was rent limb from limb, keeping his eyes focused on the Everblack Bible as a wide grin broke out on his face.

"Found it," he announced, as if Alice was waiting for him to confirm his results. "A complicated incantation, but-"

"J…ones…" the Doomhound rasped, cutting him off.

Jones sighed. "More distractions," he groaned wearily. "Be gone, loathsome creature," he said irritably, "I am growing tired of these constant interup-"

"Kill… you…" the creature hissed, hunching down as if to spring, "blood… debt… the Earth… hears my… prayer…"

"Blood debt?" Jones echoed, eying the beast with more careful consideration. "No, impossible – I have not killed any of your relatives… you cannot-"

"Bro…ther…" the Doomhound roared, "vengeance!!"

Through the shield, Alice saw Jones' eyes widen as the Doomhound leapt.

Though she knew very little of the ancient rite of Blood Debt, she was well enough acquainted with it to understand the basics. Essentially, should an indentured servant be killed without a justified cause by his master, any living relative may claim blood debt, taking – quite literally – an eye for an eye… and the Earth itself, by the nature of the bond, would rise up to help. It was a sub-clause to the blood bond sworn by Yuri and the leader of the Doomhounds, this very creature, Alice realized with a start, and as Alice was about to witness, it was more powerful than anything in Jones's repertoire.

"No!"

The short man barely had time to gasp as the ground under the leading edge of his shield of air suddenly lurched upward, leaving the shield untouched, but forming a narrow archway underneath it… an archway through which the Doomhound passed like a bullet, slamming the man to the ground with its weight and sending the Everblack Bible spinning from his hands.

Desperately, the man threw up his hands, starting to gesture wildly in what must have been a powerful spell of destruction, but before he could complete it, a tree root next to his head shot up, hooking around his right wrist and breaking any concentration he might have had.

"NOOOOO-HLLK!!"

Alice stood transfixed with horror as the Doomhound's massive head dipped forward, closing around Jones's throat and yanking back with vicious ferocity, sending a gout of the man's blood arching through the air to splatter violently against the shield of air. Jones's arm and legs shuddered like fish out of water, his hands vibrating an inch off the ground as if trying to comply with his minds desperate, final instructions.

Then… slowly… they sank to the ground, coming to rest in a quickly growing pool of the man's vibrant red blood.

"Ven... geance…"

Finally managing to turn away, Alice fell to her knees, retching in the tall grass as the Doomhound howled its triumph to the skies above.

It was over…

- - - - -

The battlefield was eerily silent as Doomhounds and Shadow Knights alike wearily eyed the great, winged beast circling overhead. A large swath of destruction had been carved in a rough circle around one spot on the clearing, and in the center lay the motionless form of Margarete Zelle.

_Margarete,_ Alice thought, breaking cover and praying that Yuri would recognize her through his blood rage as she sprinted towards the spy's body.

He had come very close to killing everyone on the battle field – his friends included… and of the large troop of Doomhounds and Shadow Knights, only a few dozen remained.

As quickly as she could, Alice raced to Margarete's side, spotting Yuri from the corner of her eye as he went into a steep dive, clearly heading straight for her. Praying that it was to help, rather than hinder, Alice dropped to her knees, fumbling for one of her bibles as she laid one hand on Margarete's chest.

"Oh… oh no…"

There was a collective gasp as the Seraphic Radiance dropped to the ground, charging Alice's position… but changing as it went, its wings and sharp talons receding as the man inside forced the fusion monster back down into his soul.

"Alice!" Yuri snapped as soon as he had regained his human form. "Quickly – you need to resurrect her. What are you waiting for??" he demanded as she rose to greet him, shifting uncomfortably from one foot to the other. "Don't just stand there! She's-"

"It's… it's been too long," Alice whispered, averting her eyes. "Yuri… it's been too long."

Yuri's mind could not quite grasp the information his ears were relaying. "No," he said stupidly, ignoring the others as they ran up to surround them, "no it hasn't… it's only been a couple minutes – you can bring her back, I know you can. Stop messing around."

"Yuri," Alice said helplessly, "please…"

"NO!" Yuri shouted, "No, you're lying – it's that damn bible talking again! You're possessed, and-"

Koudelka's hand lighted on his shoulder. "Don't do this," the woman entreated, ignoring the blood still seeping from her mouth as she swayed unsteadily on her feet, still dazed from the Shadow Knight's massive blow. "She's gone, Yuri… there's nothing we can do for her."

"You're wrong!" the young man shouted, turning back to the blonde and kneeling down to place his hands on her ribcage. "Just need to… to get her going again – you'll see! I can bring her back – she won't die here, damn it, she WON'T!!"

The others averted their eyes as he began pumping on Margarete's chest, pausing every few seconds to breath into her mouth, her cool lips dry and unresponsive against his as the air blew pointlessly into her still lungs.

_Come on, honey,_ he thought desperately, _come on, don't do this to me… not here… not like this… I'm not ready for you to leave yet… I don't want you to go away from me yet!!_

Gradually, his frantic movements slowed, his heaving chest wracked with barely repressed sobs as the woman lay unresponsive on the ground, her body lacking even a flicker of life.

"Godkiller…"

Yuri kept his head bowed, his tears dripping silently only Margarete's lovely face.

"Godkiller," the heavy voice grated, "we have… fulfilled our promise… our obligation… is complete…"

"Yeah," he whispered, "whatever…"

His companions braced themselves as the leader of the Doomhounds reared up to its full height, its hard eyes boring into Yuri's back as it spoke. "Many of our kind… gave their lives… today…" it grated, its dreadful voice raising the hackles of all gathered, "many… by your… own hand…"

A cruel grin lit Yuri's face. "What are you going to do about it?"

"Yuri, don't," Alice urged, putting a hand on his shoulder, "I know you're angry, but-"

"What are you going to do about it?" Yuri repeated. "Answer your master!"

Alice recoiled from the rage in the harmonixer's voice… but if the Doomhound was offended, it made no sign. "Our obligation… is fulfilled…" it said heavily, "you are… our master… no longer. My… brother's… needless death has been avenged… the price… of my kinsmen's lives… I pay willingly." It lowered its voice dangerously. "But know that… our ties to you are severed… Godkiller… we will not hunt you…. but we will not… hesitate to fight you… should we feel you are… in our way…"

Yuri stared down at Margarete for a long moment before replying, "Don't worry… if I never see another of your ugly faces, it'll be too soon."

The Doomhound nodded, as if it had expected this answer. "I bid you… farewell, Godkiller…"

Ignoring the creature entirely, Yuri reached out, caressing Margarete's face. "Guess this is goodbye," he said gently, sniffing loudly as the others turned to give him more privacy. "I'll see you again, though… right?"

Smiling at the thought of a Heavenly reunion, Yuri leaned forward, touching his lips to Margarete's in a final, tender kiss.

"Uhh!"

Alice whipped around. "Yuri?" she asked uncertainly, concerned by the man's sudden grunt of pain. "Yuri, what's… oh sweet Lord…!"

The others all gaped, frozen with shock as a searing blue glow sprang up around Yuri and Margarete, enveloping them in a second.

"Gahh!!"

"YURI!!"

The harmonixer hunched further forward, clutching at his chest as a brutal shock tore through his heart. He arched back suddenly, throwing Zhuzhen and Keith both to the ground as they rushed forward to help him, and in the space between his body and Margarete's, Alice could see a thin, glowing blue thread suspended in midair. Even as she watched, Margarete's body gave a sudden jerk, spasming like a marionette as something flowed down the thread from Yuri's chest into hers.

"AHH!"

Abruptly, the woman cried out, her blue eyes flashing open as her heels and fists drummed the ground, her face contorting in agony.

"Make it stop!" Alice screamed, clapping her hands over her ears as the thread became a cable – pulsing bright blue as energy poured from Yuri to Margarete.

A third cry – unlike any the collected travelers had ever heard – rose up through the air, sounding of pain and loneliness and agony beyond measure, growing until it was all-encompassing before dying out, leaving an odd, ringing silence in its wake.

Slowly, Yuri slumped to the ground, lying across Margarete's chest and panting heavily as sweat poured freely down his face.

"Get… get off me…"

Yuri gasped, his head whipping around at the sweet sound of Margarete's voice. "You're… alive…!" he managed.

"I won't be fore long if you don't GET OFF," Margarete grunted, looking disoriented as she tried to get out from under his weight. "Were you taking advantage of me?" she asked sharply, a wolfish grin spreading over her features. "Next time wait until I'm awake – you know I wouldn't want to mi-mmm…"

Alice looked away as Yuri grabbed the spy by the sides of her head and planted a deep, smacking kiss directly on her lips. _Well now,_ she thought, blushing faintly as Margarete kissed back with much enthusiasm. _Guess I know where I stand…_

Epilogue

It took less than forty minutes for the Doomhounds and Shadow Knights to dispose of their dead. Neither party was willing to forgive the other, and several isolated fights broke out as the bodies were gathered from the battlefield, but the leaders of both sides recognized that there was no longer a reason to continue the bloodshed, leaving the majority of the animosity restricted to bared teeth and muttered epithets.

As the last corpse was dragged into the underbrush, Alice and her friends finally allowed themselves a sigh of relief.

"It's over."

Alice nodded at Halley's tired yawn. "Yes," she said, rolling her shoulders as Yuri and Margarete reappeared at the edge of the clearing.

_For you anyway, _she added mentally. _What were they talking about?? They said they had something they wanted to discuss… but why so private about it? Oh! They couldn't be…!! Oh please, Lord, don't let them be… together. Please? Not after we finally won! I know it's selfish of me, but Yuri was supposed to be mine – but that kiss! That kiss… oh… please tell me I haven't lost him already! _

Thoughts of romance were temporarily pushed to the side as the duo rejoined them.

"I don't get it," Halley piped up suddenly, nodding to the white book clutched tightly in Alice's hands. "I thought it was the EverBLACK Bible – when did it get changed to white??"

"It was always white," Alice said simply. "Sister Moira explained to me that it was originally a holy book, like any other bible… though it was a powerful one. Then one day, the writer found his son dead – seemingly at his daughter's hands. In a rage, he lashed out, striking her down with one blow before she could explain that she had found him that way… a victim of roving bandits, hungry only for money and power."

Margarete rubbed absently at her chest. "So… how does that relate to the Everblack?" she asked uncertainly.

Alice sighed. "It was his rage," she whispered sadly. "The Everblack was in his hand when he struck down his own flesh and blood… and like a sponge, it drew in his hate and anger and fear, its pages growing darker and darker as it absorbed more and more of those awful, negative feelings, growing in power even as it grew blacker and blacker. You see, the man who wrote it did so with the intention of having it used only in love and kindness – so its pages would shine white with God's power and banish all the evil from the world." She averted her eyes, gently stroking the cover of the Everblack as she concluded, "It was such a noble ideal…"

"Some of the greatest acts of destruction are carried out with misguidedly noble ideas to back them," Keith observed quietly, gently laying a hand on Alice's shoulder and giving her a warm smile. "We must destroy it, though, you know… it is simply too powerful."

Master Zhuzhen cleared his throat. "Which is why I do not believe we will be able to," he said heavily, "it is like an ancient tree, this book… the roots of its power are deep and far-reaching. I do not believe that it is POSSIBLE to destroy it."

"Then… perhaps it would be best to seal it here," Alice said hesitantly. "If we bury it under the ruins of the temple, IN the holy waters… it would remain pure… and hidden. Would that work?"

"It might," Koudelka said, finally letting Sacnoth's tip rest on the ground and relaxing her tense shoulders. "But I'm afraid… you'll have to handle it without me. I don't have the power I used to… I'm not even sure I can open a Gate back home – and I KNOW that if I don't do it now, I won't be able to do it later."

There was a moment of uncomfortable silence as everyone unabashedly studied her youthful face, the price she had paid for this victory clearly evident in her unlined features.

Finally, Alice cleared her throat and whispered, "Why did you come for us, Koudelka? It must have been strenuous for you… and I still don't even know how you found us…"

"It was Halley's doing," Koudelka admitted softly, gazing almost guiltily at her son. "He told me that if I let anything happen to you when I had the power to stop it, he would never think of me as his mother again – because no mother of his would ever leave a friend to die…" She sighed tiredly. "As for how I found you… well, you're still carrying the Channeling Stone I slipped into your backpack. After I tracked down the Doomhounds – which was NOT easy, I will say – and convinced them that I was working with 'Yuri the Godkiller' …which also was not easy, I just opened a Gate from their jungle to where you were, and led them all through. Simple, right?"

Finding that she had nothing else to say, Alice mumbled, "I see," and bowed deeply to the other woman, bidding her farewell as Halley fell in at her side.

"Master Zhuzhen," Koudelka said quietly, "I can hold the Gate open for you and Keith for thirty, maybe forty minutes, at the outside. Will that be enough time to seal the Everblack?"

"Should be," Zhuzhen said lightly, "but I think if you just take that Channeling Stone with you, I can create a Gate of my own."

Koudelka arched an eyebrow. "Can you now?" she asked softly, "Since when can you do that?"

With a chuckle, Zhuzhen said, "This will be my first attempt… but I believe I've mastered the essentials. If I'm wrong, we'll just walk. I don't think Keith will mind the exercise."

Nodding, Koudelka turned to Alice. "And… will you be returning when your task is complete?" she asked, giving Yuri a significant glance, "or do you have other matters to attend?"

Alice averted her eyes. "We," she said carefully, emphasizing the word slightly, "will come home soon."

"I understand. Halley… let's go."

"Right behind you."

Alice and Zhuzhen wasted no time in further goodbyes. Together, they brought the Everblack to the still-smoking ruins of the temple, lowering it carefully into the waters that now bubbled freely up through the shattered remains of the font.

"Stand back," Alice advised the others, standing opposite Zhuzhen, "this is going to be complicated… and dangerous."

Reluctantly, Yuri, Margarete, and Keith stood outside the temple as Alice and Zhuzhen began to work. Together, they cast, weaving holy words and Zhuzhen's Adept chants in a tight, complex patchwork of power – half protective, half concealing – until finally the task was complete.

As the duo staggered out of the temple, the others rushed to their side, helping to support them as they all but collapsed on the hard ground. "Is it done?" Keith asked softly, easing Zhuzhen's arm over his shoulder in spite of the other man's protests.

"Go… look…" Alice panted, flushed from the effort of wielding so much power.

Yuri and Margarete stepped into the temple, offering low, appreciative whistles as they beheld Alice and Zhuzhen's handiwork. The holy font – blasted to rubble when the Everblack had been lowered into the waters – stood strong and upright once more, the holy spring waters bubbling up through its mouth at a more languid pace than when they had first arrived.

"It's under there…"

Margarete turned to Yuri. "Hmm?"

"The Everblack," Yuri clarified, "they put it UNDER the font… can't you see? That's why the water isn't moving as fast – the Bible's blocking some of it. Clever. No one would think to look for a book that evil under a holy font in the middle of the mountains."

Heaving a gusty sigh, Margarete whispered, "We have to tell her…"

Yuri nodded slowly, his eyes fixed on the font. "I know," he said quietly, unsurprised by the sudden change of topic, "I know we do…"

"Let's get it over with," the blonde said tiredly. "Come on."

"Yeah…"

Exiting the temple, they found Master Zhuzhen waving off Keith's attempt to support him. "I'm FINE, man!" the adept grumbled, "I may be old, but I'm not crippled! Let me be!"

Keith chuckled softly. "You can barely stand up," he pointed out, releasing the other man's arm, but standing close to him in case he should falter. "Are you sure you're up to this?"

"Positive," Zhuzhen said firmly, "but it's like Koudelka said – if I don't do it now, I won't be able to do it later… so step back, I need to concentrate."

"As you wish."

The vampire took several steps back smiling reassuringly at Alice as she shot him a nervous look. 'Don't worry,' he mouthed, patting her shoulder.

Alice nodded as Zhuzhen slowly carved a circle in the dirt, noticing for the first time how old and frail he looked. _He doesn't have much time,_ she thought sadly, _he's not as young as the rest of us – well, except Keith of course… but I guess there's no way to tell him that. He'll live on his own terms until the day he dies._ She wiped discretely at her eyes, refusing to let him see her weep for him. _God,__ may it yet be a long time from now._

"Circle's ready," Zhuzhen called, moving into the middle, "you coming, Mayor?"

Keith gave him a bland look. "You know I hate it when they call me that," he said coolly, stepping into the circle with the adept, "you're just trying to get under my skin, aren't you?"

With a grin, Zhuzhen shrugged. "Someone has to," he said mischievously, "the townspeople all worship you… so it's my job to make sure your head doesn't get too swollen with delusions of grandeur."

"You're doing your job quite well," Keith muttered sourly, drawing a chuckle from the other man.

"Well young man," Zhuzhen said lightly, turning his attention to Yuri, "take care of them for me."

Yuri nodded. "You know I will," he said softly, refusing to meet Alice's eyes. "Goodbye, old man."

"Not goodbye."

"Hmm?"

"I said, 'not goodbye,'" Zhuzhen murmured, his voice surprisingly low and serious, "it's 'until we meet again.'"

Yuri chuckled, touching his hand to his forehead in a brief salute. "Until we meet again, old man," he said warmly, reaching out and clasping the adept's hand tightly. "Take care of yourself, or I'll come kick your ass."

With a snort, Zhuzhen pumped the harmonixer's hand sharply up and down. "As if you could."

With a final nod, Zhuzhen closed his eyes and began the complicated Gate chant. Margarete, Alice, and Yuri all watched in tense silence, knowing that this was the first time the adept had attempted this powerful spell… but they breathed a collective sigh of relief as the telltale haze of space manipulation warped the air around the two men in the circle, quickly enfolding them and spiriting them away to Bistritz.

"Well," Alice said, finally releasing the breath she had been holding nearly the entire time, "now that that's done, we can-"

"Alice."

The exorcist flinched as Margarete laid a hand on her shoulder. "Y-yes?" she stammered, keeping her eyes averted as she heard Yuri shift at her side.

"We need to talk."

Her shoulder's slumping, Alice whispered, "Right."

_This is it,_ she thought miserably, _this is when they tell me 'we've fallen in love… and we think it would be best if you moved on.' Lord, this is so unfair! …but I won't cry – not when they can see me. They're my friends. I'll be happy for them… somehow._

Together, the three walked over to the remains of the temple, arranging themselves in a rough circle on the ground. Yuri, Alice noticed, sat closer to Margarete than her, solidifying in her mind the idea that this was definitely their way of telling her they were together.

_I WILL be happy for them,_ she told herself firmly, _it… it was never meant to be, right Lord? I mean, I've worked hard… I've done your bidding. If Yuri isn't the one for me, then I guess-_

"I'm leaving."

Alice blinked. "I, umm… huh??"

Bowing her head, Margarete whispered, "I said I'm leaving… you win… Yuri's yours."

"I d-don't under… stand…" Alice babbled. "You two are… I thought you were… I don't understand."

Slowly, Yuri put a hand on Margarete's shoulder. "It's not what she wanted," he said calmly, squeezing the spy's shoulder sympathetically as she turned her head away. "You… know how she feels for… for me, don't you?"

Alice blushed, nodding reluctantly. "Of course I do," she said quietly, "she hasn't made it a secret – and neither have I… so why-"

"Show her," Margarete cut in tiredly, "just… you show her, ok? I can't… it's too hard…"

Yuri sighed, slowly rising to his feet as he began unbuttoning his shirt.

Though she felt knew she should, Alice found that she could not look away, her eyes locking guiltily onto the man's muscular chest as it slowly came into view, button by button. As he pulled it open, however, she frowned, her eyes spotting something unfamiliar.

"What is… that?"

Margarete was the one that replied. "It's the reason I can't stay here," she said bitterly, abruptly yanking her own blouse to the side, "it's the goddamned Tear!"

Confused, Alice looked from Margarete to Alice, her brow furrowing as she tried to understand what she was seeing. On both of her traveling companions, located exactly over the heart, sat a small, shiny black fragment of stone, shot through with veins of silver. Each was the size and shape of a large tear, and seemed to somehow move with each breath they took.

"Give me your hands," Yuri said quietly, taking Alice's fingers and leading one to his throat and one to Margarete's.

Alice's mouth went dry. "T-they're the same," she gasped, suddenly anxious to pull her hands away as she felt her companions' hearts beating in perfect synchronicity.

Brushing her hand away, Margarete straightened her blouse. "That's the price I paid for salvation," she said, sounding drained and weary, "a fate that could truly make an angel cry."

Seeing that the exorcist was still unsure of what was happening, Yuri whispered, "When the Tear brought her back to life… it did it using the power of my soul. It… SPLIT my life-force in two, putting half of it into her."

"So that means-"

"It means if he dies, I die," Margarete cut in acidly, "it means what he feels I feel. I means that every-" her throat hitched, and she swallowed with some difficulty, her eyes shining with desperation as she concluded, "It means that every time he looks at you, and his heart beats faster… I feel it. It means that as long as I'm near him, I want what he wants – and I CAN NOT endure that!"

Alice sat in stunned silence as what was being said truly sank in. "S-so what will you do?" she asked finally, at a loss for anything else to ask.

_It's all so complicated,_ she thought as Margarete pondered her question, _so… what does she see when she looks at him?? Does she see her own affection reflected back at her? Does she know he doesn't love her… or maybe, does she know that he DOES?? Lord, this is too painful! She doesn't deserve to have to feel what he feels for me… it must tear her apart!_

She shook her head to clear it as Margarete slowly rose to her feet, staring down at Alice with a look so sad it nearly made her cry. "I'm going to find a way to take it out," she said simply, "when we went into the woods, we tried to pry the fragments of the Tear out of our skin… but the second we touched them, my heart started beating irregularly, so we realized that it must take magic to break free of it."

"Well, I could try to help," Alice said uncertainly, "I don't know what I can do, but-"

"I don't want your help," Margarete said calmly, "I don't want the rest of my life to be owed to the woman that loves the man I love – and besides, you don't have the power. The Tear is ancient, maybe even older than the Everblack… so there's no way you'd be able to free me of its powers."

Alice looked away. "Maybe not," she conceded, "but I could try."

Shooting Yuri a look of frustration, Margarete hissed, "I don't WANT you to try, damn it! I'll find my own way free of this stupid thing." Her shoulders slumped. "So until I can look at you without feeling MY heart beat faster," she whispered reluctantly, "I… I leave him to you – as long as you understand that I WILL come back for him, someday, and I won't lose him to you!"

Abruptly, she smiled.

"It's funny, in a way," she said, forcing levity into her voice as she shrugged and gazed down into Alice's eyes. "I've won his heart in a way you never can. He'll be with me until the day I die – literally. Better do what you can to make him love you now, little girl, because when I find a way to be rid of this thing, I'm coming back for him… and I won't go easy on you."

Hesitantly, Alice returned her smile. "Same for me," she said, rising to her feet and offering the spy her hand. "Take care of yourself… you're carrying half of my heart too."

Margarete snorted, yanking the younger woman into a tight embrace. "Don't be stupid," she whispered, "I have to take care of myself so I can get back and steal him away from you."

Smiling, Alice turned her head, moving her mouth next to Margarete's ear to breathe, "Bring it on."

Laughing, Margarete stepped back, turning to Yuri and blowing him a kiss. "Oo," she grinned, shooting Alice a triumphant look, "it beats fast for me, too… better hold him tight, little girl… I'll be back before you know it."

"I'll be waiting," Alice said honestly, giving the woman a warm smile as she started off into the night.

"Until we meet again…"

In silence, Yuri and Alice watched the spy vanish into the woods, leaving not so much as a leaf disturbed to mark her passing. After several minutes of contemplative quiet, Yuri said, "You know – it really pisses me off when you guys talk about me like I'm not here. I mean, 'I'll be back for him,' 'I won't lose him to you' – God, you guys act like I'm stone deaf or something!"

Still watching the place where Margarete disappeared, Alice smiled. "Well, you don't really listen that well," she giggled. "And what she said goes for me, too… I won't lose you. You're mine, and I won't let you go."

"Hmm," Yuri hummed, lacing his hands behind his head and closing his eyes. "It almost sounds dirty when you say it like that." Abruptly, his eyes opened, a strange look passing over his face. "Oh that's right," he said nonchalantly, "I was talking to Zhuzhen about that whole… you know, no sex if you're an exorcist thing, and…"

"And…?" Alice prompted, coloring slightly at the boldness of the topic.

"And he said, 'Well, that only applies if you're not married. God's grand design includes marriage and child bearing, so as long as you are living within the boundaries of God's plan… your powers will remain intact – and maybe even grow more powerful.'"

Alice's face was now beet red. "I-is that right?" she stammered, forcing her breathing to remain even as she tilted her head back to look up at the stars, "how… interesting."

"Isn't it?" Yuri said lightly. "Just thought you should know."

"Mm."

Nothing more was said as the two stared up into the sky, their minds whirling with all the possible futures currently open to them. With Margarete gone, for the time being, it would only be the two of them, and neither really felt much like 'settling down,' per se… but as the silence stretched on, and more and more paths presented themselves to the duo's minds, they both realized that there was only one REAL direction they could move.

Forward.

Turning to Yuri, Alice gave him an appraising glance. "Do you love me?" she asked quietly, deciding that this uncertainty had gone on long enough. "Please don't say, 'I don't know,' or something like that. I think… I think we've been together long enough for me to know the truth. If the answer's no, then say it – it would be better for me to hear it now before I get my hopes set on being with you, Yuri…"

Unprepared for this straightforward approach, Yuri kept his eyes on the skies above, holding his silence for several long, uncomfortable moments.

"Yeah," he said finally, his voice barely carrying over the night wind, "I mean… yes, I do…"

"And… you love Margarete too."

It was not a question… but Yuri answered it anyway.

"Yeah…"

Alice nodded. She had been prepared for this answer, of course – especially after the emotional recovery of the blonde from just past the edge of death – but it still hurt to hear it confirmed.

"Well then," she said, trying to keep her emotions from overriding her reason, "where do you see things going – with us, I mean? I think I can live with the IDEA of you loving someone else, Yuri, but I don't know if I could take it if she came back and you ran to her with open arms… do you understand?"

Yuri shifted uncomfortably. "I don't know what to say," he blurted, swallowing hard as the exorcist's eyes bored into him. "I don't… if we were together like that, I mean… I don't think I'd… ever do anything to mess it up."

Laying a hand on his shoulder, Alice leaned forward, waiting until his nervously darting eyes met hers before whispering, "'I don't know' isn't good enough for me anymore. If I can't… Lord, I know this sounds selfish, but I don't care anymore – if I can't know you're mine, then I'm going to have to say goodbye to you, Yuri. I don't want to, but I love you too much to be content with just being your traveling companion, or friend." She met his eyes head on, finally speaking the words that had been on her mind for the last five weeks.

"I want to marry you, Yuri."

Yuri flinched, visibly shrinking back from her, but finding himself unable to look away.

"Marry me," Alice said plainly. "I didn't want to ask you like this, I really didn't. It feels like I'm taking advantage of Margarete's misfortune to sneak you away from her… but at the same time, you were mine before she ever came into the picture – you ARE mine, Yuri, and I don't want to share you."

Slowly she sat back; planting her hands on the cool earth and leaning back to close her eyes.

Several long, uncertain minutes passed before Yuri sat forward, rubbing his arms as a chill passed through him. He considered every possible answer – from rage at her selfishness, to derision at her neediness – before finally settling his mind on one simple fact.

"I don't want to lose you…"

Alice nodded, keeping her eyes closed as she replied, "I don't want to lose you, either. I want to hold you forever… but only if I know that you won't go right back to acting like an idiot the second you see Margarete again."

There was another uncomfortable silence, then Yuri rose to his feet and brushed the back of his pants off. "Then goodbye," he said flatly, ignoring the sudden, sharp intake of shock from his companion as he added, "you're asking me to stop loving someone… and I won't do that – not even for you. I'm willing to be with you, yes, even marry you, if you're actually willing to throw your life away on a loser like me, but I won't ever stop caring for someone dear to me."

"I'm not asking you to," Alice said gently, opening her eyes and staring up into his face, "all I'm asking is that if you promise me forever, you hold to it. Loving Margarete is fine, I love her too, in my own way… but if I give you my heart, I have to know that you won't throw it away when she comes back and offers you hers."

Yuri's nostrils flared. "I would never do that," he said bluntly, "I know I'm a little… ok, I'm REALLY uncivilized… but if I say 'I'm yours' I won't go back on it."

A ghost of a smile appeared on Alice's lips. "Promise?" she said tiredly, feeling suddenly that the weight of the entire world had just been lifted from her shoulders.

"Promise," Yuri said softly, offering her his hand. "I've… never been good with stuff like this, but I don't go back on my word. I DO love Margarete – but it's like you said," he met her eyes levelly. "It was always you, Alice…"

Alice blushed, taking his hand and climbing to her feet, and finding herself pulled into an awkward, but wholly satisfying embrace.

_Not the smoothest beginning,_ she thought, still not QUITE convinced that his feelings for Margarete could be suppressed so easily, but willing to take him at his word. _NOW… we can move forward…_

"I'm tired," Yuri announced suddenly, wrapping one arm around her shoulders and loosing a jaw cracking yawn. "I'm gonna hit the sack…"

The lingering question hung heavy in the air, but Alice made sure that it was not there for long. "Is there room for me?" she asked lightly. "We'll just be sleeping, of course…"

"'Course," Yuri said blandly, "you're not that kind of girl, blah, blah, blah – don't get all defensive… you're the one all ready to be hitched at the drop of a hat."

Alice averted her eyes. "Hey," she said quietly, trying her best not to blush, "I'm human, too…"

Yawning broadly, Yuri said, "Too tired to talk about it anymore… come on… your chastity is definitely safe with me tonight."

Somehow, Alice doubted that he would try to fend her off if she put that theory to the test, but she felt that it would be best not to push it. _I want this to be right,_ she thought tiredly, following him into his tent and all but collapsing on the sleeping pad at his side.

From that day forward… she never slept alone again.

The End

Author's Notes: Oh come on! It's not like anyone needed what's going to happen next spelled out… it's pretty obvious!! On another note (just to avoid confusion) a Gate spell is any spell of teleportation – either a hole in the air, like Koudelka makes, or the warping of space that marks Jones and Roger Bacon's passing. Sorry, I didn't really want to come up with different names for the two, since they basically perform the same task of moving a person from one place to another. And in case anyone missed it, the Doomhound that Fletcher incinerated waayyyy back in like, chapter ONE was the head Doomhound's brother, which is why it could claim blood debt. I couldn't think of any way to make that clear in the text without having him say 'you remember that Doomhound you killed without a reason? Well guess what?' Poor storytelling, I know. My apologies.

Pre-read on this final Verse was done by Aegis… yes, Aegis, you're off the hook – it's done. Thanks for all the help, darlin' I couldn't have done it without you.

Feedback is always welcome on any site with reviewing capabilities or by e-mailing me directly at random1377(at-sign)yahoo(dot)com.


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